Darkness I Became
by eventualprocrastination
Summary: Sigyn abandoned Asgard in search of her banished father, and ended up disallowed from returning home. For centuries she lived on Earth, growing lonelier and bitter. In the present, Loki comes to Earth to rule the mortals and Sigyn, now Astrid, joins him.
1. Swordplay

It was the sound of children's laughter, and children's laughter only, that echoed off the walls of the Hall of Heroes. The scamper of several pairs of feet soon followed, as the children they belonged to appeared, running around from behind the throne where Asgard's ruler, Odin, usually sat. In their hands, wooden swords were held tightly as each of them became to fight with the each other. They were playing with one another, the clacking of wooden swords against wooden swords, the joy in their eyes and voices unmistakable and rather infectious. Standing off to the sides, waiting in the wings, Odin, the All-father, stood with his wife Frigga, watching with impish smiles on their faces.

Their oldest son, the fair-haired Thor was the liveliest of the children present, trying to play-fight everyone at the same time, shouting out happily, "Surrender your weaponry! I am the mighty Thor!"

"You have the mightiest stench, as well!" came the retort from Sif, her blonde hair pulled back off her face with a leather string.

As those two began to parry , Thor's brother, the dark-haired and green-eyed Loki stood a few feet away, his own sword at his side as he watched everyone, studying them with an intenseness, as if trying to determine the weakest link before he 'went in for the kill'. He was distracted like that until he felt a dull prodding at his back. Loki turned his head to the left to see a girl standing beside him, dark hair and green eyes like him.

Sigyn.

"Are you not going to play?" she asked. Honestly, she was just as happy to stand there, watching the others.

"I am," he responded as she was gently shoved forward.

As she dropped to her knees, she turned to look at Loki, only to see another Loki standing behind where she had been seconds before. "No fair! That's cheating, Loki!"

His double disappeared and he simply laughed. "All is fair in love and war."

Sigyn made a face. "What does that even mean?"

Loki shrugged. "I don't know. I heard my father say it once."

A quick smirk upon her lips and she was on her feet in an instant, throwing herself against Loki, taking him down to the marble floor with her. She sat on his chest in a way that her knees kept his arms pinned to the ground as well. She then snickered down at him as she raised her wooden sword up and lowered the point to the base of his neck, between both clavicles. Her smirk turned into rather devilish grin but instead of keeping him pinned like that any further or him throwing her off of him, she chose to simply pull the sword away, stand up and offer him her hand.

"Thank you," he murmured, sheepishly. His eyes diverted to the others who had taken a moment to see that Sigyn had bested him and then helped him up after the fact. He saw the impish looks on their faces, the teasing in their eyes, like shouting, _'Loki was bested by a girl_.'

Without really meaning to, or planning it, he pushed her backward so that she fell back onto her behind. She stared up at him with confusion and slight hurt in her eyes.

"Wha—"

"That is the only time I'll let you win a round, so do not get used to it."

Upon hearing his retort, the other boys and Brunhilde chuckled. Only Sif seemed to bother with coming over to Sigyn to see if she was okay.

Instead of appreciating the gesture, Sigyn shrugged it off and went running out of the hall. She didn't even notice her uncle and ruler, Odin, and his wife as she went past. She ran out of the hall altogether and made her way through a couple corridors to a courtyard where she sat down on a marble bench, slouched forward, her face pinched with frustration. Her wooden sword dropped to the ground with a clatter that echoed off the courtyard walls.

She could have easily gotten to her feet and pushed Loki back, maybe even kicked him for good measure. Instead she chose to let emotions get to her, and run away. Sigyn had had a few reactions like that recently, but her mother, Freya – Goddess of Fertility, Beauty and Love and a Valkyrie – had insisted it was simple growing pains and she was best to deal with it accordingly. But she didn't understand how she was feeling, or how to deal with it. She often felt her mother didn't understand her either. She wasn't affectionate like other mothers and Sigyn didn't think it was because her mother was a Valkyrie. That couldn't be an excuse, because how could she be deemed a goddess of love, otherwise?

It had to be herself, Sigyn usually thought. She resembled her father more, but was different from both by having dark hair, almost midnight black. Her mother was blonde; her father's slightly darker than blonde.

Hunched forward, she fiddled with her fingers and bit her lip as she heard the strong set of footsteps approaching. Sigyn lifted her head to find her father Lodur, God of Solitude and brother of Odin, standing a few feet behind her. He was a handsome man, with a strong and regal face, another aspect of his she inherited. He was looking at her with both concern and amusement, holding his hands in front of his stomach.

"What is wrong, my daughter?"

Sigyn shrugged, growing embarrassed by how she ran off. "Loki," she answered briefly.

Lodur smirked, casually sitting down beside her. "What has he done this time? Has he put snakes in your shoes again? Pulled your hair maybe?"

Sigyn shook her head and looked back down at her fingers. "We were playing warriors in the Great Hall with our wooden swords. Loki tricked me that he was standing next to me, but he just projected a double, then he shoved me. When I got up and knocked him back down and sat on him. And I could have stayed like that, bested him further, but I got up and helped him up," she explained. "And then he shoved me down, saying he let me best him and he would not do it again." Sigyn looked up at her father with a pained expression. "But he did not let me best him, father. I bested him all on my own!"

"He was probably just embarrassed, my darling girl. Boys get like that as children. They must appear stronger than girls, even if agility isn't their forte. He did what he did and said what he did to save face; I doubt he meant it personally." Lodur placed his hand on his only child's shoulder and gave it a consoling squeeze. "Loki is a good boy. If his mother has anything to do with it, she will make him apologize to you later. And you really should have pushed him back."

"I know."

Lodur chuckled slightly, pulling Sigyn close against him for a side hug. "You are going to have to work on running away from your problems. When you believe in something strongly, fight for it. Know when to be respectful but also when to stand up for yourself. If you think something is not right and needs to be changed, you speak up and you try and change it. And I say try, because sometimes we fail. Not every fight that is fought is won. At least then you can say you tried than not having done anything at all."

Sigyn thought about this for a moment, and then got the feeling that her father wasn't really talking about her predicament with Loki anymore and that there was something more problematic under the surface he wasn't letting in on.

"Yes, father." It was all she could think of to say.

Placing a kiss on her temple, Lodur then pulled back and gestured for her to get up. "Go seek out Loki, and either demand his apology or give him a good shove to know you are not to be trifled with."

Sigyn grinned. "Yes, father." With that, she bent down and picked up her wooden sword and took off in a sprint, heading back toward the Great Hall.

Lodur continued to sit there, folding his hands between his knees and he leaned forward. Something darker crept across his face, turning his features serious and conflicted.

* * *

**AUTHOR NOTE: Slightly short I know, but this is just the beginning...**


	2. Free Fall

Sometime later, Sigyn sat in a tree in the garden of her family's estate within the city of Asgard. Her legs dangled on either side of the large branch she was balancing on; her arms outstretched and reaching for a raven a few feet up the branch from her. It was not any raven either; it was Huginn, one of Odin's, and for whatever reason, it had decided to perch itself in this tree.

"Come here…come…" Sigyn called out, hoping the bird would come to her of its own free will.

"Why are you up in that tree?"

Sigyn looked down at the ground below and discovered Loki standing there with curious eyes. In his right hand was a leather bound book; in his left was a satchel that looked quite full and lumpy.

"Your father's raven."

"Which one is it?"

"Huginn."

Loki smirked and pursed his lips together, whistling. The raven cocked its head, seemingly stared at him for a few moments and then flew off the branch and off to parts unknown.

"There, now he won't be a spy."

"A spy on what?" Sigyn wondered.

"Us," Loki answered simply. He held the book up toward her and gestured like he was about to throw it up. "Catch." Without missing a beat, he tossed the book up and Sigyn caught it in her hands; somehow managing not to fall off the branch. "Now slide over; I'm coming up." Loki gripped his satchel firmly in his left hand as he stepped up to the trunk of the tree and began to pull himself up.

He might not have been as athletic as the other boys but he was agile and spry in his own right. He quite practically flung himself up and ended up sitting right beside her.

"What's in your satchel?" Sigyn asked.

"Some pastries I stole from the kitchen." He held the satchel over to her and then took the book she was holding.

Sigyn giggled. "Well, give here." She opened the satchel and pulled a frosted cookie out.

"I took this book from the library. I thought I could teach you some of the magic I've been teaching myself."

"Sure." Pulling out another of the treats Loki had brought, she handed it to him while he flipped through the pages of the book. "Can you teach me how to make a double of myself like you do?"

Loki nodded. "Probably. I've actually been working on making more than one of me. It hasn't worked so well recently though. I created a double and half of a double a few days ago; scared my mother."

"Do you…"

"What?"

"Do you know how to make people stay in love? Is that in one of your books from the library?"

Loki furrowed his brow, genuinely confused, curious and a little concerned. Sigyn was biting her bottom lip, casting her glance downward. "Is it your mother and father again?"

Sigyn nodded. "Something bad happened and they won't tell me about it, but whatever it is has driven them further apart. My father has been sleeping in a different bed chamber for a while, but now they barely speak to one another and when they do, they argue."

"I could find out…what they have been arguing about, I mean," Loki offered. "I'm very good at hiding. I could hide somewhere and listen for something…then I could tell you."

"You would do that for me?"

Loki nodded. "Yes. We're friends, not just cousins."

Sigyn began to beam and leaned forward to try and hug him, but in the process she lost her balance and slipped from the branch. All in an instant, as she propelled to the ground below, Loki reacted as quickly, throwing his book off him and reaching a hand out and somehow stopped her from falling. She was stuck, midair, about a foot off the ground, looking skyward and up at Loki with an incredulous smirk on her face.

"Tricky, tricky," she remarked, in regard to him using some of the magic he'd taught himself.

He then let her fall the remaining foot, with little more than a delicate thud upon the ground, nowhere close to causing an ounce of pain for her. Not even an ounce of wind was knocked from her chest. She just rested upon the ground, staring up at him as he jumped down, landing on his feet like a cat and then crouching down to her side.

"You almost hurt yourself trying to hug me," he commented.

"But you didn't let me get hurt."

"I'd never let you get hurt." Loki smiled at her and she leaned up, placing her arms around his neck.

"You are my best friend, Loki."

* * *

There were muffled voices coming from one of the corridors in Sigyn's home. Loki was slowly approaching them with silent footsteps, easily ducking behind one of the pillars. His smallish, fair hands gripped the cool, marbled stone, straining to hear what the voices of his uncle, his father's brother Lodur, was saying to his wife Freya.

"I did what I felt was right! Odin is a fool and does not deserve the throne upon which he sits!"

"Oh, and _you_ are more worthy?" Freya questioned, derision dripping from her voice. "_You_ are the fool, dear _husband_." Loki felt surprised by this intimate argument, how mocking Freya was of Lodur, and how calling him her husband was like acid on her tongue. "Because of your actions you will be sentenced as a traitor to this realm. Do you not realize the punishment for such a thing? Or maybe that was your plan all along; to get as far away from me as possible!"

"Banishment is not something I would ever dream of achieving, save only for my daughter's sake; most certainly not yours, _wife_."

"Well, you've dug your grave, haven't you?"

Loki couldn't bring himself to listen any further. He closed his eyes and disappeared. He was not gone, however. His actual body was in Sigyn's bed chamber in another wing of the home. He turned around; having had his back to her while she sat upon her bed with one of his books on magic in her lap.

She turned her attention to Loki when she noticed him give a slight shiver, as if snapping back to reality. "Are you cold?"

Loki shook his head. "No. I was just spying on your parents."

Sigyn stared wide-eyed and curiously at him. She closed the book, slid it off her lap and hopped down from her bed to the floor. "You were? What did you see?"

"I didn't see them, but I heard them."

"Alright, well…what did you hear, then?"

Loki was unsure what to tell her; the stark truth or the watered-down version. He didn't want to see her get upset or cry. Sigyn noticed his hesitation.

"Loki, tell me."

"They were arguing."

"I told you that is all they do these days." She frowned. "What of the argument, though? Was it very serious?"

Loki nodded. "Yes."

"How serious?"

"I think your father is in a lot of trouble. I think he did something to greatly offend my father."

Sigyn furrowed her brow and cast her gaze at the floor. Biting her lip, she tried to think of what offence her father could have committed against his own brother to put him in such serious trouble. "Are…" she trailed. "Are you sure that is what you heard? Maybe you are mistaken."

Shaking his head, Loki replied, "But I'm not." He frowned and decided to push forward. "Your mother mentioned something about him being punished for his actions. I think he is looking at banishment from Asgard."

The color instantly drained from Sigyn's face. Even in the warm, golden glow from torches on the wall, Loki could see as much.

"No," she murmured. "You lie." She met Loki's eyes with her own and looked at him with anger slowly beginning to boil within them. "You are a talented liar, and that is what you are doing now. I do not appreciate this trick, Loki. It is cruel."

"It is not a lie," he insisted.

"Get out of my room," she stormed over to her bed and grabbed his book of magic, chucking it at his feet. "Get out, Loki! Go home!"

Loki was hurt as he crouched down and picked his book up. He stared at her with a defiant pout. "I am not lying!" he shouted right back at her. "You just do not want to hear the truth!"

With that, he opened the door to her bed chamber and ran out, slamming the door behind him. Sigyn jumped slightly at the sound and began to fume and tear up. She felt scared that what he had told her was true, and that he was right; that she didn't want to hear the truth. It would be easier if he was lying and her father wasn't in such dire trouble.

Slowly, she stepped closer to her door and opened it. With quiet, delicate footsteps, she began to move out into the corridor, heading in the direction of the mezzanine where she heard a commotion. She began to run, hearing her father's shouts and the subsequent clanging of steel and armor. As she reached the railing that looked from the second story, down to the first, she saw her father being accosted by Odin's guards.

"Lodur, son of Bor and Bestla, you are to come with us to receive your punishment for the crime of treason against your brother, Odin Borson, the All-father of this realm."

"No!" Sigyn screamed, not even realizing she had done so. She released her grip from the railing and made her way down to the mezzanine, pushing past the guards to throw her arms about her father's waist. "Do not take my father!"

"Sigyn, you must let me go," Lodur urged.

"No, I won't…you cannot leave me."

"My darling daughter, you must step aside."

"But, I don't want you to go…" she whimpered, her face pressed into his stomach, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"It will be alright. Your mother will look after you."

"Let them take her, not you."

Despite everything, Lodur let out a laugh. "If I had a say in the matter, I would stay here instead. But I must leave with these good men."

"They are not good if they are taking you from me."

Lodur leaned downward and placed a kiss on top of Sigyn's head. "I love you, Sigyn Lodursdóttir."

With that, he pried Sigyn from him and allowed the guards to take hold of his arms and lead him down the stairs to the first story, leaving Sigyn to wail behind him, trying to follow after. Freya appeared, however, and pulled her daughter back. The woman's soft blonde locks fell around her daughter's shoulder as she leaned closer.

"Sigyn, there is nothing you can do."

Sigyn turned around and gave her mother a shove. "You do not even care! Leave me alone!" Sobbing, she ran back up in the direction of the second story, heading toward a balcony at the front of the home, so she could watch her father being carted away…

…unaware Loki was watching the entire scene play out, from behind a tree below the balcony. He wore a pained expression on his face, wishing for a moment he could make Sigyn's sadness go away.

* * *

_**A/N: Reviews would be nice!**_


	3. Alibi

**A/N: Finally updated! Enjoy! Do review! I like reviews, they make me happy. Because you wouldn't like me when I'm angry! HOLLYSMASH! ^_^**

* * *

As the years began to slip by, the world around Sigyn changed only slightly. Her father had been subsequently banished; to where exactly, she knew not. She had not been allowed to be present at his so-called sentencing. Her mother, Freya, had even refused to answer any questions she had about it all, which made the already large gap between mother and daughter even larger. To make matters worse, Freya had taken a new husband, Odr. He was a dull fool and for whatever reason, her mother loved him. So much so that she happily bore him two daughters. The first born of Freya's second marriage was Hnoss, the second born was Gersemi. Sigyn was positive the pair was exactly what her mother always wanted; children that resembled her. They were both fair-haired, looked more like their mother than Sigyn ever would. Even as infants, their temperaments were uncannily similar to Freya.

And, slowly, Sigyn just stopped caring. She made no attempts to have any semblance of a relationship with her mother. She spoke to her when she needed to and she answered when spoken to, but kept her answers short and straight forward. She sure as hell made no attempt to have any relationship with her stepfather, and he didn't seem to be bothered by it anyway. Sigyn did, however, feel some form of love toward her little half-sisters. She couldn't help it; they were indeed adorable and charming babies. Sigyn would hold them, play with them, sing them lullabies when they were sad or tired, but only when their mother was absent from the home.

For the most part, Sigyn only had her friendships and tutoring to fill up her days.

When she wasn't studying the subjects she deemed useless to her, she spent any and all free time in the company of her female friends, Sif and Brunhilde, but most often it was just Loki and her, playing simple childhood games or him teaching her what magic he had taught himself.

She hadn't forgiven him for telling her about what he had overheard, because he had done nothing wrong. Instead, she had apologized for acting so rashly toward him about it all. Loki easily forgave her; insisting it was nothing and he was sorry about her father's banishment. If she ever needed an ear, she had his.

* * *

Several days following Thor's birthday banquet, Loki met up with Sigyn by a lake below the Great Hall. She sat there on the water's edge; her feet submerged, letting the coolness sooth her aching feet from all the dancing in the horribly binding shoes she had been wearing.

Loki came running up to her, nearly out of breath as he dropped to the ground beside her and almost fell completely back like a lump of coal.

Sigyn raised an eyebrow. "What have you done now?"

Propped up on his elbows, he looked up at her. "Why do you assume I did something wrong?"

"Because you look as if you are running from something you did, as usual," she snickered. "What trickery this time, cousin?"

Loki smirked mischievously. "You know me too well." As his breath steadied, he shrugged. "Nothing too horrible. It'll grow back…I mean, at least I think it will."

Sigyn's eyes widened. Normally his mischief was minor, brash things; a spider in your soup, snakes in your shoes, temporary loss of smell. That sort of thing. And Sigyn usually found it amusing, or daresay endearing. This time, however, she was a bit wary and concerned.

"Loki…what did you do?"

"You know how Sif's hair is the loveliest golden locks in the all the realm eternal? Second only to Thor's, of course," he let out a soft chuckle.

"Oh, mercy…please tell me you did not do what I think you did."

"Well, if you think I cut off her hair, then…"

"Loki!"

"What? It was funny. You should've seen her reaction."

"It was her hair!"

"Exactly, it'll grow back. It might take a while, but it will. Er, should…I do not really know, actually."

"She is going to have your testicles skewered on a silver platter."

Loki sat straight up and threw his hands over his crotch. "I should hope not," he gasped teasingly. He cast her a shit-eating grin and removed his hands to lean back on his elbows once more. "What have you been doing today?"

"Do not change the subject, Loki Odinson," Sigyn chastised. "Does anyone know it was you? Did anyone see you?"

"Well, there is Heimdall. He sees everything, as you well know. He might blow the horn on me."

"When did you do it?"

"Last night, while she slept."

Sigyn rolled her eyes. "Any particular reason why?"

"It's not really important why, is it? I did it, it's done with. Now I need to figure out how to avoid the consequences of my actions." He didn't seem to upset by this. He turned to Sigyn and bat his eyelashes at her like a dimwitted lady trying to woo a potential suitor. "Will you be my alibi, my dear friend?"

"I am always your alibi."

"That is because you are so damned good at lying for me. It truly is a gift."

Again, Sigyn rolled her eyes, but this time a smile she couldn't help began to tug at the corners of her mouth, betraying any possible attempts to remain serious about the situation.

"I can lie for you till I am blue in the face, but the question is will anyone believe me this time? What possible alibi could I give you?"

"Tell them, whoever may ask, that I was in your bedchambers all last night. I fell asleep while we were telling stories back and forth to each other, and you didn't want to wake me because I looked so peaceful."

Sigyn merely gave him a withering look. "Unlikely anyone would believe that one."

"Then what do you suggest, Sigyn dear?"

"You were teaching me a new bit of magic until the early hours of the morning," she suggested after a few moments of consideration. "And if they ask for proof, I can show them something you've taught me recently."

Loki sat back up and threw his right arm around Sigyn's waist, pulling her into a tight, side hug, and then kissed her cheek. "And this is why you are my dearest friend, and the best keeper of my lies."

Sigyn smirked, and then shoved him away. "You will be my undoing, I fear."

"Nonsense. I will never let anything about you become undone."

Raising an eyebrow at him, Sigyn just shook her head. "That sounded a lot worse than I think you meant it, cousin."

"Unfortunately, you are right. It did sound a lot less uncouth in my head."

The pair sat their quietly for a while longer. Loki took off his boots and rolled up the bottoms of his pants, thrusting his bare feet into the water, occasionally trying to splash some onto Sigyn to which she retaliated by giving him another playful shove or two.

The playful solace between them was soon cut short when they heard Thor's youthful but bellowing voice shout out Loki's name from a distance.

Sigyn just looked at Loki and made a face. "I guess Thor found out about Sif's hair."

Loki was already putting his boots back on, and in a hurry. "You're probably very right." He didn't bother lacing them up as he leaned down, placed a kiss upon Sigyn's head, flashed a smile and gave a wave. "I will see you later, Alibi o'mine."

Without missing a beat, Loki took off running up the hill from the lake and in the opposite direction Thor's voice was coming from, and not a few moments later, Thor appeared at the other end of the hill above the lake. He looked down at Sigyn who sat alone at the water's edge.

"Sigyn," he called out. "Have you seen my brother?"

"Not since this morning," she replied innocently. "We were up all hours of the night. He was teaching me some magic. Do you want to see?"

* * *

A day later, Loki was nursing a black and blue mark under his right eye from where Thor punched him. As it turned out, Sigyn's alibi proved to be useless only because Heimdall did in fact blow the horn on Loki. Thor had suspected Loki's involvement from the start because the act reeked of something his younger brother would do and when Thor learned it was Loki's doing for certain, he reacted the best way he knew. Violence.

"Does it hurt?"

Sigyn was sitting on her chaise lounge in her bedchamber with her legs tucked up underneath her, and Loki sat across from her. It was night in Asgard and Loki had snuck in through her bedroom window after she had announced she was retiring for the evening after another awkward dinner with her mother, stepfather and barely toddling half-sisters. He lost his footing once he was through the window and stepped on a few books that lay on floor below, causing him to nearly fall forward and knock over several items on her dressing table. Sigyn had been quick to react and caught him so it wouldn't draw attention from her mother.

Freya had already expressed more than once her dislike of Loki hanging around all the time; that Sigyn should be spending more time with her female friends and that Loki was nothing more than a spoiled mischief maker and a bad influence. That was one argument that ended with Sigyn calling her mother an old hag and throwing a brass cup to the floor before storming off rather childlike for someone on the brink of womanhood.

"Not really," Loki answered, letting Sigyn very gently touch his bruise. "It's just a war wound, or a Thor wound, rather."

Sigyn snickered. "What punishment beside the Thor wound did you receive? Was the All-father harsh?"

"Well, he didn't banish me." After the words slipped from his mouth, he sat up a little straighter. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that…"

Shrugging aloofly, Sigyn shook her head. "It's okay. I'm rather used to the jest about my father's banishment by now. I deal with the looks every day from people at court."

"I didn't mean to make light of what happened, though."

"Loki, it is alright, I said," she insisted. "What of you? What punishment are you facing for your dastardly deeds?"

"Thor is forcing me to restore Sif's hair, so I'm going to pay a visit to some dwarfish craftsmen and see if they'll create some new hair."

Sigyn looked skeptical. "Can you afford it? Dwarf goods are not cheap, even if you are the All-father's son."

Loki shrugged. "I'll make do."

"Famous last words," she teased.

"Let's not speak any further on this subject. It's irritating me."

"Then what do you want to talk about?"

Loki turned to face her fully his green eyes practically danced with delight as an idea came to mind. "Let me show you how to speak telepathically with me."

"Well, if you insist," Sigyn sighed, trying to pretend as if it was a chore, but she couldn't keep the errant giggle from escaping past her lips.


	4. These Feelings

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Would love more!**

* * *

As usual, life went on in Asgard; days bled into one another, seamlessly stitched together by the hands of time and going unnoticed by all those in the realm eternal whose lives were virtually immortal. What was a day or a year even when you could live for hundreds, if not thousands? Loki did in fact pay a visit to the dwarves to craft new hair for Sif, but he was unable to afford enough gold and the dwarves decided that "for the price of naught" they would make "strands of naught." The dwarves created magical strands of hair from the blackness of the night. The strands of darkness took root the moment they were placed on Sif's head, and then began to grow out. Her hair had become the same dark shade known to only a few in all of Asgard, including Loki and Sigyn. Sif cried and cried, devastated by what had been done to her. Her hair had been her most cherished possession, none could compare in its golden splendor. And Loki had permanently ruined it.

Thor had tried to assure her that she looked even lovelier this new way, that it suited her well, and while she accepted his compliments, Sif's vanity over the issue carried on and soon it became such a tiresome problem for her parents who had to listen to her mewl about it day in and day out. It got to the point where they realized the only way to put some sense into their daughter was to give her a larger purpose in life, to not be so focused on her appearance. Brunhilde had already gone off to be trained as a shield maiden and Sif's parents thought this the perfect opportunity.

The day before Sif's departure, the lot of them all went to one of the lakes beyond the Hall of Heroes. The Asgardian youth preferred it above all other lakes because it was secluded by an abundance of trees and shrubbery. There was even a smallish waterfall at the north side of the lake and, through the falling waters which cascaded down from the smallish mountainside, there was a cavern that lead to parts unknown. So many tales of woe had been spun about those caverns that none of them had ever dared venture through the watery curtain to explore. Instead, they kept to the lake, where bonfires were held on the water's edge or swimming usually took place.

On this particular day, it was swimming. But the day had already wore on and most were growing bored with the activity and decided to head off in search of food and drink. Loki and Sigyn stayed behind, wading in the shallow part of the lake, splashing each other back and forth, until Loki announced he wanted to get something to eat as well. Sigyn still wasn't ready and told him to head off without her.

And he wasn't sure why he felt so compelled, but as soon as he was out of the water, Loki grabbed her clothes and her shoes she had left draped over a low tree branch after he'd put his outer garments back on, and took off with them. She hadn't seen him do it and he figured she'd cry out with horror when she found her clothes gone, and he'd get a quick laugh out of it, but it would be funny and she would forgive him for being mischievous yet again.

Loki sat quietly amongst the bushes, hidden from view and watched as Sigyn swam a few laps closer to the center of the lake and then back to the shore. He was suppressing a giggle or two, contemplating the look on her face when she would finally emerge from the water. And soon, she appeared to have determined that without anyone else there, it was too lonely and rather boring to have a swim by herself. As she began the trek out of the water, her arms folded under her bosom but over the sheer undergarments she wore, Loki felt a stirring in him he had never felt before; at least not for Sigyn.

There was something different; the way her dark, wet hair looked even darker, like pure midnight and clung to her equally wet skin, the way her cheeks and lips seemed flush with color from exerting herself in the water, the way her soaked chemise hugged the burgeoning curves of her body. He bit his bottom lip and tried to shake the foreign feeling away. He was about to give up on hiding and just return her clothes to her before she really realized they were missing when he heard someone coming.

Loki kept still and silent and peered through the leaves of the shrubbery he sat behind. He could see it was Fandral who seemed to be looking for something. Loki practically turned to stone. How awkward it would be if the fair haired youth found him in the bushed with Sigyn's clothing. He dropped the clothes where he crouched and slowly began to back away, silent as the grave, while keeping his eyes on Fandral who appeared to be nearing Sigyn.

Loki hadn't been paying attention to her at that moment so he hadn't seen her silently cursing him under her breath as she was very obviously looking for her clothing.

"Lost?" Fandral jested.

Sigyn still kept her arms crossed over her chest. It would be embarrassing for him to see her in such a state in such a garment that became see-through when wet. When they were all in the water, it was another story. "No, my clothes are missing."

The pair looked each other in the eye and spoke the same name at the same time, "Loki."

Loki grimaced. He hadn't factored in anyone else finding out his latest prank. It just brought too many variables into the equation and could backfire in a more distressing way, mostly just for him.

"He said he was hungry and I wasn't watching as he got out of the water. I assume he took my clothes to fool with me," she commented.

"Sometimes, I daresay Loki takes his tricks too far."

Loki internally growled. _Pompous ass_, he thought to himself.

"It is nothing I am not used to. I just wasn't expecting to make the journey home in nothing but my chemise, and in such a state as this. It's rather embarrassing."

Fandral offered a sympathetic look. "As I said, Loki tends to take his tricks too far."

Sigyn shrugged. "I suppose. It is not like he's being mean-spirited. He just…likes to have a bit of fun."

"At other people's expenses. He never thinks about the consequences to his actions."

Loki narrowed his brow, the scowl on his face almost causing an ache. He turned away and quietly began to back away from the brush; to make his leave without drawing attention to him. He was not in the mood to listen any further to the conversation being had.

"Here, let me give you my tunic to wear. You can cover up with it and once you have made it home with little to no embarrassment and find proper attire to wear, you can bring tunic back to me at your leisure."

Loki stopped in his tracks, further away from where he had been but still in earshot. He turned and fixed his gaze on the twosome standing in the clearing at the water's edge. Fandral was lifting his tunic up over his head and handed it over to Sigyn, then turned his face away to give her a bit of privacy to pull the tunic on over her chemise. And for a brief moment, Loki caught a glimpse of practically all of her, the light fabric, still soaked, and brushed against certain peaks of her anatomy that caused Loki to swallow back a lump in his throat while simultaneously bringing warmth to his face…and elsewhere.

He was growing confused and a little ashamed and didn't want to stay where he was any longer. In a mad dash, with the stealth of a cat, he tore off through the trees, through a thicket and then a briar patch before reaching a small field that lead toward the winding road that lead up to the Hall of Heroes. He stopped momentarily, crouching forward with his back arched and his palms on his knees, catching his breath.

"What is wrong with me?" he questioned himself. It was almost pained, the sound of his voice. His brow knitted together as he tried to understand what was going on in his mind, and subsequently with his body and emotions. He didn't like the sudden feeling of not having any control about what he was thinking or feeling.

Many yards behind him, back where he left Sigyn and Fandral, the pair were walking around, close to one another, as they happened to spot her clothes within some shrubbery.

As Sigyn grabbed her dress, she tugged at his tunic she was wearing. "I suppose I don't need to wear this anymore since my clothes are right here."

Fandral waved it off. "No, it's alright. Keep it for now. It'll give me an excuse for you to pay me a visit later."

Looking him in the eye, Sigyn narrowed her gaze at him with a smirk toying at her lips. "Other than returning your tunic, what reason would I have to visit you?"

"Well," he began, turning around to walk backward as he faced her. "We could always go walking together."

"We're walking now."

"True, but in a more _official_ sense."

"Official?"

"Yes."

"Fandral, do you mean to court me?"

"What if I do?" He raised his eyebrows and flashed the most charming of smiles.

"We're too young to be considering courtship. We have so many centuries ahead of us to worry about that. Why is it so important to court me now? We are barely out of childhood."

"The heart wants what the heart wants?"

"Are you not sure? Is that why you phrased that as a question?"

"Stop trying to evade, Sigyn."

"I am doing no such thing, I'm just…"

"Just what?"

Sigyn stopped walking. "Just let me think on this, alright? You don't need an answer right away, do you?"

Shaking his head, Fandral smiled. "I do not. As you said, we have centuries," he replied. "I will wait."

"Thank you."

"Return my tunic to me when you have an answer."

The pair stood silently for a moment before continuing on, taking a slightly different path than the one Loki had taken shortly before. As they walked, Fandral with his hands clasped together behind his back and Sigyn with her clothes bundled in a heap in her arms, she looked at his profile, not able to deny he was quite possibly one of the most beautiful youths in all of Asgard.

"Why would you want to court me anyway?" she asked suddenly.

"Why? Because I think you are one of the loveliest girls in all of Asgard."

Sigyn stopped walking again. She wasn't sure how it was possible that he thought the same of her that she had just been thinking of him. "It's not just because of how you think I look is it? I hope you are not that vain."

"No, of course not. I admire your sweetness, the way you laugh and smile…"

Biting her bottom lip, Sigyn shifted her heap of clothes from both arms to just the one arm as she used her free one to reach her hand out and grab Fandral's arm, proceeding to pull him closer to lay a kiss upon his cheek.

Without missing a beat, Fandral reacted by placing both his hands on both her shoulders and kissing her square on the mouth. It was an awkward kiss at first and mostly for Sigyn because she had never kissed a boy before. But she had watched others kissing before, she knew how to do it in the platonic sense, but this was not platonic, this was more. Her nerves were practically frayed when their lips parted.

"Does that sway your answer one way or the other?" he chuckled.

After gathering her wits about her, Sigyn let out a sigh and smiled, feeling warmth in her cheeks. "You will have your answer when I return your tunic."

With nothing more than a second, more demure smile sent his way, Sigyn took off in the direction of her home, leaving Fandral to stand there at the base of the small field, and unaware of Loki who had already made it back to his father's castle estate and was now overlooking the field where Sigyn had just left Fandral. He had seen their kiss and his innards twisted.

He was starting to feel jealousy, but he knew it should be wrong to have those feelings. Sigyn was his cousin, the daughter of his father's brother. But she was also his best friend, and he felt like Fandral was encroaching on his territory. And still, the feeling of jealousy seemed deeper seeded than just the possibility of losing his best friends to the bittersweet turmoil of potential young love. As he slowly began to sense the feeling was due to his own desire to be the one love of Sigyn's the more appalled he became with himself. They were family…it was wrong. He had to squash that feeling. But surely there had to be a reason why it also felt normal, that he should feel such a strong pull at his heartstrings over her.

There had to be more to it. There just had to be an explanation.

Right?


	5. Timing

The moment hadn't been right, it was all too soon for Sigyn.

She sat at her dressing table later that evening, merely hours after her kiss with Fandral. As she stared at her reflection, no longer wearing her soaked chemise or his tunic, she thought about his words and the possibility of courting at so young an age. She figured that if they started now, it would definitely lead to betrothal in the coming years, and marriage following. Given the relationship her own parents had and how fickle her mother seemed to be in the ways of love, despite being the goddess of it, Sigyn really had no basis for what a loving relationship should be like. She couldn't judge other couples in Asgard because she did not witness them together as long as she had her parents and she barely paid any attention now to her mother and Odr.

How could she even consider entering into a courtship with Fandral now? She liked him, sure. He was handsome, charming, debonair…dashing, even. Then there was her. She only saw a plain girl in the mirror with no discernible features about her for him to see her as 'one of the loveliest girls in the entire realm.' She couldn't see it, even if she knew that a person was their own worst critic.

Turning her gaze from the mirror and down to a small book on the dressing table, she noted it to be her journal in which she wrote down much of the magic Loki had taught her over the years. More than half she had been able to do successfully. Some she still couldn't grasp as easily as he did. For Loki it seemed like old hat; second nature to him. He was rather graceful in how he was able to master his magic and his tricks; it was the same grace in which most Asgardian males took to the more physical activities. But magic wasn't the only thing she had written in the journal. There were more personal things, doodles and such. She drew birds, flowers…she had even, once, attempted to draw Loki's profile when he didn't know she was watching him. It had been one day where he had his nose in one of his books from the library, leaning against the trunk of a tree. He had reminded her of a porcelain statue; his skin so fair and flawless, his features more sleek and pointed than the other males she knew and interacted with on a regular basis.

Loki was different than the others, and she liked that about him. He didn't seem to feel the same way. She knew he wanted to belong, deep down. She knew he wanted to be good at fighting like Thor and his friends, to be as strong and as physically built. He didn't like being different and Sigyn could see the sadness in his eyes, and whenever he caught her looking at him, his entire demeanor changed; the façade went up and the smile appeared on both his lips and in his eyes. How he was able to put up such a masquerade was beyond her. She could never hide her true feelings.

She wondered if it came naturally or if it was something he had learned in his magic books.

She wondered if she could keep her feelings in check when she told Fandral she just wasn't ready and she hoped he would understand and not take it to heart and hold it against her for years and centuries to come.

Caught up in her thoughts, she never even heard the knocking at her bedchamber door and its subsequent opening until she saw a figure of someone moving behind her in the reflection of her mirror. Looking up, she saw it was her mother.

Sigyn cast her eyes downward as not to reveal how she rolled them before turning completely around to look up at Freya. "Don't you knock, mother?"

"I did knock. You were too lost in your own little world to hear me."

"So, knock a little louder. It's rude to barge in without expressed permission," Sigyn snipped, childishly.

"Well, when it is your home, I will do just that, but since this is mine and you are my daughter, I shall enter wherever and whenever I deem it." Freya stood there, arms folded across her chest, glaring haughtily down at her daughter. She was a formidable god and a Valkyrie, previously; the latter a position she gave up several years back. But to Sigyn, she was just her mother and impressed her not.

"It is not your home; it is my father's home. It was given to him by his father before him and should pass to me by right of succession. Since father had no sons, it should pass to his eldest daughter, and since I am his only child, this home is mine."

"Darling, girl. It doesn't quite work like that. Your father is a known traitor to the realm, banished for all eternity. Any rights of succession where this estate are concerned were forfeit on the day he was sentenced. He has no ties to this home anymore, and because of my due diligence in the service of our king, the All-father, I was able to keep this home; this roof over our heads." Freya leaned closer, her face mere inches in front of Sigyn's. "This is my home. Your place here is transient; it will only last until you are old enough to take a husband and have a home of your own."

"I'm barely a guest, is that it?"

"No, you are my impertinent child who severely lacks discipline and obedience."

"Only to you."

"Exactly," Freya spoke, her voice unfaltering. One didn't ride off into battles and not become stalwart in their presence and demeanor. "Always loyal to your bastard of a father; even to this day. You need to curb yourself of that. It will do you much good in the long run not to align yourself with the unscrupulous. It could prove your downfall one day."

"If it would displease you, all the more reason for me to do just that."

Without warning, Freya hauled back and smacked Sigyn across the face. The simple striking act was strong enough to send Sigyn falling backward, landing on the flat of her back; her legs practically up over her head.

"Mother!"

"Do not bother calling me that anymore, child. You may from here on out refer to me as Milady, and you will get up and you will start packing your belongings."

Sigyn just laid there, astonished; her green eyes growing wider. "Are you turning me out?"

"No, just…sending you away."

"What? Where to?" She touched her hand to her face and gradually began to sit up.

"Tomorrow you will be joining Sif. I have decided you need the discipline and training as a shield maiden might prove beneficial to all concerned."

"You mean just to yourself."

Freya simply ignored the comment and continued. "You will pack only the necessary items. You will not need any fancy dress clothing, no jewelry or your precious magic books that wretch of a prince lends you. Where you are going to be trained, they will be of no use."

Sigyn jumped to her feet then, and threw herself at her mother, giving her a hearty shove but barely causing the older female to budge in the slightest. "Loki is not a wretch. He is worth a thousand times more than you are! You are horrid! A horrible mother and I wish you had never bore me!"

"Well, then." Freya turned and began to stalk towards the bedchamber door. She opened it and paused, her hand gripping the handle. "It would seem that makes two of us." A beat later, she added, "I will have your supper sent up to you. You will not be joining the rest of us tonight. And do not stay up too late wallowing. You leave at first light tomorrow."

With that, Freya shut the door behind her, leaving Sigyn to try and wrap her mind around what had just happened. After what seemed like a lifetime or two, she began to hurry about her bedchamber, gathering some of her simpler clothing, undergarments, her comb, her journal. She began to cry as she did so, especially when she opened her jewelry box and saw the turquoise ring her father had given her on the last birthday of hers she had before his banishment. She placed it on her finger and sank down onto her bed, hunching forward and placed her face in her hands.

Sigyn tried to push the emotions down, to call upon the façade Loki was able to use. And for a moment she couldn't help but smile. All the while Loki wished to have the strength the other Asgard youths had, she wished to have _his_ strength.

Slowly, she sank down off the side of her bed and sat on the floor, pulling her knees up to her chest and crying softly.

"Are you alright?" came a whispered voice at her window.

Sigyn blinked a few tears away as she raised her head and spotted Loki peering through the opened balcony door. The sheer curtains were flapping lazily in the breeze, his body silhouetted behind them. She wiped the rest of her tears away and bit her lip, not bothering to invite Loki in; he just let himself in, knowing she would've anyway.

"My mother rues the day I was born and she's sending me away."

Loki knitted his brow and slowly sank down to his knees in front of her. "What are you talking about?"

"We argued; she said I was undisciplined and disobedient. She's sending me to be trained as a shield maiden with Sif. I leave at dawn."

It seemed like the world began to fall away for Loki. He knew very well that the shield maiden training was an extensive training program that would last years and when she returned, she would be able to go on to becoming a Valkyrie if she so chose. That didn't particularly sound likely, but it still meant years with Sigyn gone. He wasn't sure he would know what to do with himself with his best friend gone.

"Can't you say no? Refuse?"

"How I wish," Sigyn sighed sadly. "But we both know until we reach adulthood, our parents make all our final decisions for us."

"What about Fandral?"

Sigyn looked Loki in the eye and made a face. "What about him?"

"I saw the two of you earlier. I saw…you know."

"You saw us kiss?"

Loki was slow to nod. "Yes."

"Oh." Then, "no, I don't see the point. He and I are not…you know. He asked me if could basically court me, and I was flattered, but…if I was more impulsive, I suppose I would've said yes. But I'm not ready for that kind of relationship with him."

"Oh. Just with him?"

Sigyn held Loki's gaze. "With anyone. I'm too young to be bound like that. I mean, that's not to say if I felt it was right…"

"Right like how?"

"I'd feel it in my bones. If I just knew that person was special, that they belonged with me at all times, that I thought about them almost every moment of the day…"

"And you don't feel that way with Fandral." It was a statement, not a question.

"I think he's exceptionally handsome, and maybe one day I could find him more pleasing to be around, but other than being friends, I can't see anything more between him and me. Not yet, anyhow."

Loki bit his lip. "Sigyn…"

"Yes?"

"I…" he trailed. He didn't know what to say. Could he love her? Of course he loved her, she was family; his cousin. But more than that was wrong. But it was only cousins, not siblings…no. No, no, no. He had to stop that. He had to leave it at them being merely cousins, friends; nothing more. But everything she had said; about knowing the person was special, wanting to be with them, thinking about them…it was tugging at his heartstrings again. There was a dull ache in his chest.

"What is it, Loki?"

"I, uh…" Change the subject, fool! "I do not want you to go."

Sigyn frowned. "I do not want to go, either."

"I'm going to miss you fiercely."

Through her tear-stained eyes, Sigyn began to smile slightly. "Oh, Loki, I think you're the only person I will miss."

Leaning forward on his knees, he pulled Sigyn into the tightest embrace. "I love you, cousin," he whispered into her hair. "I will count the days till you return. And when you do, no doubt you will easily put me to shame in the art of combat."

"I love you, too, dear friend." She smiled more fully, resting her chin on his shoulder and leaning the side of her face against the side of his.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reviewing, now reivew some more. Also, I have seen "The Avengers" three times and I still can't get enough! I will need to see it more and more, I can use the excuse as it's research for better plotting out the later chapters of this fic...**


	6. Paths

Sigyn was leaning against a large boulder, eating an apple with slight disinterest in the scene around her. Her feet were firmly planted upon the ground and were relatively warm in her brown, leather boots which were considerably worse for wear. Her hair was pulled back and disheveled, there were a few streaks of dirt smudged across her face and her lips were somewhat chapped from the dry, cold air. For the most part, she was bored. She loathed training, it was not fun for her, but she didn't seem to have a say in the matter. She was still not of age in the eyes of Asgardian policy and therefore could not just leave without consent from her parents, that being her mother whom she had not communicated with since first leaving to train as a shield maiden a few years before. And if she did leave, if she just ran away, she had no where she could go. The only person who she knew would take her in would be Loki. She knew he would not judge her as others would if she left. But she also know she couldn't stay at his home, because Odin would send her packing back to her mothers who would in turn send her back to training.

She was stuck. It felt as if her life was not her own. Everything was being decided for her and she hated every minute of it.

"Sigyn, don't just sit there!"

Sigyn looked to her right and saw Sif approaching with her sword in hand and a rather excitable smile upon her lips. "I'm not sitting, I'm leaning."

"You know what I mean. Come on, we're going to be late for rounds."

"I'd rather just stay right here with my apple."

Sif gave her a withering look. "You really don't have a choice."

"I never do." Sigyn took one last bite of her apple and threw it over her shoulder.

"Oh, now. Don't be a spoil-sport. You can't deny this is a little fun." Sif sidled up beside Sigyn, twisting her sword back and forth as she jabbed Sigyn's arm with her elbow.

Both females began to walk off toward an encampment where other females dressed in warrior-esque clothing were sitting around a communal fire. They were telling stories or just chatting while Sif and Sigyn continued on past.

"The only thing fun about any of this has been stabbing something with my blade when I get frustrated. I just don't find enjoyment in training like you or Brunhilde have. It's not what I want, and I've never had a say in the matter."

"I didn't when I came here, either."

"True," Sigyn said. "But you also took to it like a fish to water. I'm no good at any of this."

"Don't be hard on yourself. You've done exceptionally well."

"We're Asgardian. We're predisposed to do exceptionally well. But you and Brunhilde, the others…you've come to thrive on it. I am merely bidding my time till it's over."

"You truly do not like being here, do you? It is not the company you keep, is it?" Sif looked almost sad as she asked her question.

Sigyn looked at her and frowned. "No, of course not, Sif. You are a good friend to me and always have been. I just don't enjoy….any of this. It is not what I want to be doing with my life."

"Well, then, what do you want to be doing?"

"I don't know, to be honest," Sigyn shrugged. "But when I do know, it will be because it is what I wanted; not a decision someone else made for me."

They walked quietly together up to ridge, where a group of young women like themselves were gathered to do some drills with their swords. As soon as they approached, their drill leader, Gudrun, a Valkyrie who had "served" with Sigyn's mother Freya, stepped forward, bearing a rather magnificent sword. She gripped the hilt with her right hand and pointed at each and every one of the girls.

"Today is the day you have all been waiting for," she spoke with commanding authority. "A shield maiden is an honorable position and proof that we women are just as strong as our male counterparts." A few whoops of agreement sounded off from several of the girls. "And to prove your capabilities, comes your final test; to see if you can best…a man."

As Gudrun stepped back, she gestured with her sword at a group of male warriors. Sigyn recognized none of them as they approached; their own swords in hand. They were brandishing their weapons and smiling at the girls.

"There are an equal number of them as there are two all of you. You will be partnered up to fight. This is an anything goes fight, because when the real thing happens, there will be no time outs. If you succeed in this task, you will have successfully completed your years of training to become shield maidens. You will also be given the opportunity to join the ranks of the Valkyries, which is a noble calling. If you are not sure being a Valkyrie is for you, then it is not for you. If you fail to best your male counterpart, it is fine, but you will not be given the same opportunity to join the Valkyries. Either way, you should all give one hundred percent. I will not allow any of you to slack off."

Sigyn sighed. This was going to be the exact opposite of fun.

"When I raise my sword, commence!"

All watched Gudrun. When she was certain all eyes were on her, she slowly raised her sword above her head and the moment the point was completely aimed upward, the immediate clanking of swords could be heard.

Sigyn jumped backward as her male counterpart's sword came crashing down at her. She jumped to the side and had she not moved a second sooner, she would've lost a finger. She tried to access her anger, to focus it like she had been taught during the last several years of training. She even tried envisioning her opponent as her mother, which helped a little, if not simply for her own amusement.

"You fight like a girl," the man grunted with a laugh.

"You must be the genius of the bunch," Sigyn barked, a daring glimmer in her eyes, as they parried. "I am a girl, you twit."

"Exactly. I am going to best you so easily."

"So easily?" she repeated. "If you can do it so easily, how come we are still fighting?"

She gave a mean swing at him, and then spun, like a dancer. Out the corner of her eye, she could see Sif flip over her assailant's back and knock him forward a little. Sigyn ran backwards a few feet and then charged at her guy and as he swung his sword at her, she dropped to her knees, bent her body backward till she was practically parallel with the ground and slid right between his legs. Before he could even turn around, she was on her feet, facing his back and jumped on him, wrapping her legs around his waist and bringing the edge of her sword up against the skin of his neck.

He ceased all movement and just stood there as she leaned forward, muttering in his ear, "One move and the contents of your throat will be at my mercy." When he struggled against her grip, she brought the blade closer, causing the slightest thin red line of blood to appear. "Your move. Do you surrender?"

"I surrender," he answered begrudgingly, throwing his sword to the ground.

With that, she hopped off him and stepped back. He turned around to face her and offered his hand. "Well played," he complimented.

Sigyn hesitated and held her sword up, shaking it from side to side so he kept his distance. "No, I'm not shaking your hand. You can easily have tricks up your sleeve, and believe me, I am very well versed in dealing with tricksters."

She meant, of course, Loki.

Suddenly, there was a hand on her back and she spun, ready to take out whoever it was, only to find Gudrun glancing proudly at her. "You should be very proud of your success, Lady Sigyn. Did you know it took your mother more than double the time to defeat her opponent than it did you?"

Sigyn began to smile. "Are you serious?"

"Very. When we were just girls, first starting out, training to be shield maidens, she was very concerned about fighting interfering with her looks. She didn't like to get dirty."

A laugh escaped Sigyn's lips. "Sounds about right."

"Congratulations, Sigyn."

"Thank you."

"You'll make a fine Valkyrie, if that is the path you choose." Gudrun then moved onward to speak to the other girls who had finished their fights or to keep an eye on those still fighting.

Brunhilde walked up to Sigyn and grabbed her hand. The lovely blonde smiled at her and gave her a hug. "I saw that slide you did. I don't remember us doing anything like that in training."

"I improvised."

"No, that was great. When a real battle happens, improvising will be a great necessity."

"Yes, well…I don't have any battle plans in my future."

"You are joking right? But who will have my back?" Brunhilde mock pouted.

"Sif, most likely. I just want to go home. I miss…" she trailed; Loki's face flashing into her mind.

He had been the one shining light for her during these many years. The girls all had the opportunity to return home on certain occasions, such as family celebrations, though some chose not to; like Sigyn. Brunhilde, too. The twosome had never once returned home, choosing to stay where they were until it was all over. Though, where Sigyn was concerned, the main reason she didn't return home was simply her mother. She would've loved to have gone home simply to see Loki but she was still so angry at her mother, she had yet to forgive her for sending her away in the first place.

The one good thing to come out of her time training was that she sensed she was a stronger person, and despite not wanting to admit it to herself, she was a more mature young woman, just what her mother wanted. She had become more reserved, more graceful in her movements, not as prone to throwing a fit as she had in her younger years.

She left for training as a girl, and would return a woman.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Asgard, night had fallen; the sky littered millions and millions of stars and intermingled with the wide array of colors belonging to several nebulas and far off galaxies. One of the fantastic things about living in the realm eternal: the views.

Loki was lying back on his bed, creating a blue flame in his hands and disappearing it, over and over again; looking rather bored. It was a random little trick he'd mastered years before, and could do in his sleep. He was dressed in no more than a simple pair of pants and a green tunic, the color of emeralds. His bare feet were flat against his mattress as he propped his knees up.

"Brother!" came Thor's brusque and sudden voice as he barged right into the room, startling Loki, who's blue flame quite literally jumped out of his hand and onto the bed, nearly causing the blanket beneath him to catch on fire.

Loki smacked the flame out with the palm of his hand and then glared up at Thor. "Must you barge in here like a bilchsteim?"

"Why, were you having some special alone time?" Thor laughed, gripping one of the posters of Loki's canopied, four-poster bed. "Sorry to interrupt."

"No, I was not…doing that," Loki nearly paled. Thor could be so frustrating at times, though he still loved him just the same.

"No, I suppose you weren't, otherwise you would be in a more jovial mood."

Loki just stared at him. "What do you want, Thor?"

"Firstly, to know why you are being so dreary."

"I am not being dreary, I have simply been lost in thought."

"Thinking of what, pray tell?"

"Well, if you must know: Sigyn."

"Our cousin?"

"Is there another Sigyn you know of?"

Thor made a face. "I know you have missed her these many years; she has been your closest friend since we were practically sucklings."

"She has been, yes."

"Well, there is no reason to merely think about her anymore. I have it on good authority the ladies Sigyn and Sif, amongst others, are set to return tomorrow. There's to be a feast in their honor."

"Their training is finally over? This good authority of yours…did it tell you if Sigyn is going to continue on as a Valkyrie or not?" Loki knew that if she did, he definitely wouldn't see her as much as he'd like. She would have a new, important life to lead.

"This I do not know," Thor shrugged. "You may ask her tomorrow when she returns, what her decision is. But tonight, I request thy presence."

Loki narrowed his eyes. "What for?" he asked cautiously, standing up.

"You are to join the other men and me for some festivities."

An eyebrow raised, Loki asked, "Do these festivities include your usual many rounds of mead and lovely women?"

"Are there any other kind of festivities?"

Loki smirked, rolling his eyes with a laugh. "I await the day you finally evolve."

"Why, you—" Thor muttered with a grin before lunging playfully at Loki, only to fall flat on his face when Loki disappeared, only for the real Loki to emerge from behind him, laughing.

"Are you ever _not_ going to fall for that?"

* * *

**A/N: I had a hell of a time with the shield maiden stuff. I don't know what they really do. Also, couldn't resist adding that last line there of Loki's.**

_**Keep the reviews coming!**_


	7. Welcome Home

"My daughter!"

Sigyn glanced up at the mezzanine in her family home where she saw her mother glancing down at her with a smile on her face, her arms open and completely oblivious to the simple fact that Sigyn's opinion of her hadn't changed in the years she was away training. Sigyn stood still, only her eyes moving as she followed her mother who came down the staircase; the skirt of her glorious chiffon dress of turquoise and gold embellishments trailing behind her.

"Mother," Sigyn replied blandly as Freya stepped forward to pull her daughter into a rather tight embrace. Sigyn didn't completely return the gesture; she more just stood there, letting it happen.

Not a moment after they parted, two young girls with the fairest blonde hair came running down the grand staircase, all smiles. It was her little sisters, Hnoss and Gersemi. Gersemi, the younger, appeared to be as old as Sigyn had been when her father had been banished many a year prior. They came sidling up to their big sister, throwing their arms around her waist, and for the first time in possibly forever, Sigyn felt happy to be home. She felt loved. Her sisters seemed to have truly missed her and clearly looked up to her.

"I want to be a shield maiden just like you and mother someday," Gersemi squeaked. They were both adorable, lovely-looking girls, but there was something more special about Gersemi in Sigyn's eyes. Maybe it was that she saw a little more of herself in the girl. Hnoss seemed to be the most like their mother; there was something prideful and calculating in her bright, cat-like eyes.

"If that is what you wish for yourself, may you be so lucky to make that choice for yourself."

Either missing the double meaning in that sentence, or simply ignoring it altogether, Freya placed a hand upon her eldest daughter's shoulder and gestured to the staircase before them. "You must be weary from all your training and your travel home. Come. Let us have a luxurious, warm bath drawn for you and get you into some more sociable clothing. There is to be a feast tonight in honor of all you returning ladies and your accomplishments in your training. You will need to rest up, take a nap beforehand if you wish."

"I think I'll have that bath later. I'd like to take a walk first…"

Freya nodded, understanding. "Of course. It has been so long since you have been home; you need to get your bearings." Freya smiled, and Sigyn couldn't be sure how genuine it was. Deep down, she wished it was. Nay, hoped. "Your sisters and I will leave you to your walk then. I'll have your handmaid bring your belongings up to your room; it's just the way you left it."

As Freya wrangled Hnoss and Gersemi, leaving Sigyn momentarily alone at the base of the grand staircase, Sigyn exhaled a deep breath and took in her surroundings. Nothing had physically changed, if only everything seemed a bit smaller, but that was probably due to her being older and taller than she had been when she first left. She watched as a young woman who must be her handmaid appeared and grabbed her belongings, bid her hello and disappeared up the staircase with everything. Still, Sigyn remained where she was. But, slowly, she began to move around to the side of the staircase, looking around at the suits of armor on display, the paintings and tapestries draped on the high walls. She was so focused on remembering every detail that she hadn't seen the rather short person coming her way and running right into him.

She stopped in her tracks and, on instinct from her years of training, reached for her sword, which was still at her side. She didn't unsheathe it, but was prepared to.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"I am Iwaldi."

"The dwarf," Sigyn remarked. She'd heard his name before. He was one of the dwarves Loki had approached about getting new hair for Sif year ago.

"Clearly," he replied, a little amused.

"What is it you are doing here?"

"I live here."

Sigyn narrowed her gaze down at him. "Does my mother know?"

"I should hope so," he smirked. "We are married, after all."

"Excuse me, what?"

"Did she not tell you? Yes, we married a short amount of time ago after she divorced your previous stepfather."

"She divorced Odr?" Sigyn didn't rightly care. She never really gave Odr a second thought when she lived under the same roof. "So, you're my stepfather now."

"Yes, but just call me Iwaldi. Don't bother with formalities."

"I was planning on it."

"Yes, well…welcome home. I shall see you at the feast tonight." He gave her a pleasant, if not reserved, smile and moved past her to go about his way, leaving Sigyn somewhat perplexed over the interaction they just had.

* * *

A rather warm, gentle wind drifted by, fluttering Sigyn's hair around her face as she walked just outside the walls of the City of Asgard, toward the same set of woods from her youth where she had bonfires and swimming parties with the others. Birds were chirping (she was sure one of them was one of Odin's ravens), and the midday light was filtering in through the trees, making the overall scenery look pristine and magical. She grabbed a long twig off the ground and used it to knock back branches from low-hanging trees and other shrubbery as she forged her own way through the woods, trying to remember how to reach the lake.

The moment she heard the rustling of water coming from the waterfall, she knew she was close and followed the sound, reaching it in moments. But, before she could completely take in and enjoy the sight, she was caught off guard by the sight of a young couple, half-dressed, snogging on the ground, arms and legs tangled together quite haphazardly.

Sigyn let out a tiny gasp of embarrassment for happening upon the scene and immediately made to hurry away, but the male sensed someone there and lifted his head, much to his own shock and embarrassment.

"Sigyn?"

She stopped, slowly turning back to look upon whom it was. The voice, all too familiar, wafted into her hears like a lovely melody. She glanced down to find it was Loki, shirtless, his usually slicked back black hair completely tousled and unruly, a few love bites covering his neck and chest. Slight color reached his face as he pulled himself up off the ground to stand, grabbing his tunic to cover the front of his trousers which were almost hanging completely off his hips. His face was almost entirely beat red and the girl he was with seemed oblivious to the awkward situation suddenly falling between the old friends.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone was here," she muttered, trying not to look directly at him for fear her eyes would wander elsewhere.

"You're back," he spoke, a tone of happiness evident in his voice.

"I am, just arrived this morning."

In her peripheral vision, Sigyn could see the other girl clamor to feet, rather gracelessly. Sigyn looked upon her, dressed in a flimsy, nearly see-through chemise, her hair just as tousled as Loki's, if not more so. She smiled at Sigyn who barely returned the gesture.

"I'm glad your back. I've missed you." He took a step forward and the girl at his side followed him in step.

Sigyn frowned slightly and looked him in the eye. "Well, it would seem you haven't been languishing in loneliness while I've been gone these last years."

"Oh," he uttered, glancing down at the girl with him. He almost grimaced, seeing her there, looking up at him like an obedient puppy dog. "Uh, yes…this is Neri; she's one of my mother's, uh…handmaidens," he introduced, lamely.

Neri smiled and gave a jovial wave. "Hello."

"Hello," Sigyn repeated.

"Neri, this is my cousin and best friend, Sigyn."

"Oh, yes…Loki told me all about you."

"Oh, he did, did he? Good things, I hope."

"Only the best," he assured.

"So, uh…you two are courting?" For whatever reason, a part of Sigyn's heart began to ache. She wasn't sure why she was feeling the beginning pangs of jealousy in seeing Loki with another girl. Maybe she was afraid, in her absence, he had found a new best friend. With benefits, as it would appear.

Neri snorted with laughter. "Us? Pfft, no. We got talking at a party Thor had last night and we had a bit too much mead, or at least I did, anyway. One thing led to another and I just had to have my hands all over this one," she explained, briefly tickling Loki's side.

Annoyance appeared on his face as he looked down at Neri once more, trying to subtly and politely push her away.

"Yes, uh…Thor has become well known for holding raucous festivities. The flow of mead and music seems quite never-ending." He smiled a little; that shy, charming smile she had always remembered and cherished.

"Ahh." She didn't know what else to say.

The three of them stood around, awkwardly, not saying anything for what felt like the longest time, until Neri spoke up.

"So, the feast tonight…it's for you?"

Sigyn looked at her. "Not just for me. The other ladies who have completed shield maiden training."

"So, you can go off to fight battles with the men now? How strange."

"If I wanted to, yes."

Loki noted the tone of her voice had a hint of reluctance. He cocked his head a little to the side and narrowed his gaze. "Is it not what you want?" He wasn't sure if it was anymore; after all the years apart, her wants and ideals might have changed from when he last saw her.

"No, it's not what I want. You know that."

"I did, yes." Then he corrected himself, "I do."

Neri began to wrap her arms around Loki's waist, looking up at him like she wanted to devour every inch of him and Sigyn began to feel very uncomfortable. "I should…go." Sigyn turned to walk away.

"Uh, wait…"

She looked over her shoulder to see Loki retrieve his arm from Neri and walk up to her and suddenly the proximity to him, bare-chested and covered in both a sheen of sweat and love bites, sent a wave of new feelings coursing through Sigyn's veins. The feeling tingled in her from head to toe, her breath got caught momentarily in her throat and she was sure her cheeks were tinged with slight pinkness.

"I'm glad you're home, Sigyn," Loki spoke quietly, out of ear range of Neri. He looked Sigyn in the eye and smiled ruefully. "It hasn't been the same without you." Despite his tunic still in his hand, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her in for a hug, trying to be as subtle as possible when he inhaled her scent. His green eyes closed for a moment and just relished in holding her close.

Casually, a smile found its way to Sigyn's lips. "I'm glad to be home, too," she concurred, bringing her arms up to hug him back. She placed her head on his shoulder and caught Neri glaring at her. When they pulled away, Sigyn smiled up at Loki and pushed a rogue lock of hair out of his face. "I really should get going now. I have to get ready for the feast tonight."

Loki nodded. "Yes, of course. I'll, uh…I'll see you there." Before she could fully walk away, he reached out and grabbed her hand while looking her in the eye. "Save me a dance."

It felt like a shock of electricity sparked at his touch. Sigyn looked down at their hands and then back up at him. She nodded. "Sure." With one more smile, she bid Loki and Neri adieu, leaving the pair alone, lakeside.

As soon as Sigyn was out of sight, Neri went to reach for Loki again, biting her lip in a mischievous manner, but he merely shrugged her off.

"Damn it, will you stop clinging to me like a leech? I am not your betrothed or your lover. We had one night," he all but growled. "You completely embarrassed me in front of Sigyn."

Neri scoffed and shoved him slightly. "Brute," she called him. "She's only your cousin. It's not like _she's_ the lover." Then she paused, watching his face. "Or is it you _want_ her to be?"

"What?" Loki played it off as if she were crazy. "Nonsense. She's just my best friend."

"No, no, no…you want to bed her, don't you?" Neri's face lifted as if she had just discovered the greatest treasure in all the nine realms.

Loki began to seethe and turned to face Neri as gracefully as a cat falling from a high ledge to land easily on all fours. Without any hesitation, he grabbed Neri by the face and glowered at her. "You will not say anything further about this, am I understood?" Slowly, she nodded; a bit of fear in her eyes. "If I even hear the slightest murmur of this, a hint of a rumor spread, I will know it was you, and there is no rock, no world you can escape from to hide from me."

Neri, quickly, jerked her face away and stumbled back from him, scowling and huffing. "You are insane, Loki Odinson. I don't know what it is I ever saw in you!" She grabbed for the dress she had been wearing the night before, as well as her shoes, and began to scurry away. "Do not come near me again!"

Loki watched her go and, while a part of him was surprised by his sudden, menacing outburst, another part of him reveled in the fear he could inflict. He smirked. But when he looked down at his hand, the hand that had grabbed Neri, he reconsidered the reveling in fear part. He suddenly felt a pang of remorse and wondered if she would tell about what he'd just done to her, or if Heimdall, who saw everything, had seen. Not to mention, his father's ravens.

Frowning, he muttered out loud for most likely no one but himself to hear, "Sorry."


	8. The Dance

Music was ubiquitous, as was the food, dancing and laughter. There were so many people in the Great Hall that one would assume it was for an occasion fitting one of Odin's sons, not mere ladies of the realm who had successfully completed shield maiden training. There were incredibly long tables, draped in white linens and covered with copious amounts of fruits, meats, pastries; basically any sort of food fit for a festive occasion. Those dancing looked like differently colored pieces of paper, scattered in the wind. There did not seem to be an unhappy face anywhere in sight; it was an overall enjoyable time to be had.

As the guests of honor began to trickle in, applause could be heard by most of the guests who weren't preoccupied with conversation, dancing or eating. Brunhilde, probably the fiercest of all the new shield maidens, seemed the most loving of the attention bestowed upon her. She was eating it all up. Then there was Sif, who seemed pleasantly proud of herself as well as gracious to the fanfare. The other ladies were just as gracious; simple nods of their heads here, smiles and thank yous there. And they looked exceptionally beautiful, bedecked in their finest gowns and jewelry; not a hair out of place. It was quite a one-eighty from how they had all looked just a day earlier, fighting off those male opponents in their last drill.

Loki was seated and leaning back on the steps that lead up toward Odin's throne with a drink in his hand and a smirk on his face as he watched Thor, but a few feet away, chatting up Sif; his large hand just barely touching the small of her back. It was a funny dance between the two. They had been friends as long as Loki had been friends with Sigyn, and they were clearly attracted to one another, but neither one ever made a move. Thor never seemed to have a problem bedding a lovely lady, or simply flirting, but when it came to Sif, he held her at arm's length, as if she was one he would treat with more respect, well above the others. And at this rate, it would be a thousand years before the pair came to terms with their attraction and acted on it.

The merrymaking was in full swing when Sigyn finally arrived, fashionably late. Loki had seen her earlier in the day, as awkward as the situation had been with Neri there, and she had looked still as lovely as ever, if rather simple in her tunic, trousers and boots she had worn home from her training. But now, as she entered the Great Hall, it was the first time this large an amount of people had seen her in a long while. Loki could feel the wave of murmurs sweeping over the guests as they saw her and how she'd changed.

When Loki finally caught sight of her, he suddenly sat up at attention, nearly spilling his drink in his lap. His eyes, as well as the eyes of most the men in the Hall, practically popped out of his head. His breath hitched, his mouth went dry and his heart jumped into his throat. As his eyebrows knitted upward, he felt like he was truly seeing Sigyn for the first time in his entire life.

With each sashay of her hips as she walked, the green silk of Sigyn's dress showed off her now womanly curves. Her breasts were fuller, her body more lean and toned, her skin so fair, and her lips full and reddened with rouge. She had her long, dark hair swept up off her neck and she wore a look on her beautiful face that suggested she was realizing the effect she was having on the men present. Her light green eyes scanned the crowd, smiling demurely at those who stopped her to wish their congratulations on her training success and for her to utter, no doubt, a gracious thank you.

For a brief second, Loki even saw Thor take a second glance. Freya was standing off to the side, with Frigga, looking on with pride at how her unruly eldest daughter, who had been fonder of magic and climbing trees as a child with Loki, had blossomed into probably the most beautiful young woman in the entire realm. Not that it wasn't to be expected. Sigyn was, after all, the daughter of the Goddess of Love, Fertility and _Beauty_. It would've been unnatural for Sigyn to have been anything other than beautiful. And even though, to Loki, she had always been pretty, he now saw just how beautiful she really was. Now, she stole his breath away. Now, she made him weak in the knees and, was he not already seated, his legs would've probably given out from underneath him.

Slowly, he forced himself up and passed his nearly empty glass of wine off to a passing servant. He was about to make his way up to Sigyn, to take her up on the dance he had asked her to save for him, when Fandral seemed to appear from out of nowhere. He smiled at her, bowed gentlemanly and offered her his hand, obviously for a dance. Sigyn smiled sweetly and accepted. Loki just stood there, watching the pair move to the center of the Great Hall where the dancing was taking place. He watched how beautiful they were together, talking and smiling together as they moved like they were made for dancing with each other.

Loki silently fumed. A pang of jealously was boiling in the pit of his chest. There was something dark and cruel deep, deep down that felt the need to rip Fandral in two with his bare hands and he couldn't understand where the hostility was coming from lately, so he once again swallowed it back, and buried it away. He took a steadying breath, pursed his lips and tried to focus his attention elsewhere.

"You are by far the most beautiful woman in the entire Hall, if not the realm," Fandral spoke to Sigyn, who simply flashed him a coquettish expression.

"Flattery, again, I see."

"Nay, 'tis the truth."

Sigyn just giggled and leaned into Fandral. She had forgotten just how handsome he was; his good looks completely catching her off guard. And when he smiled, she became a little lost in his eyes. She couldn't help giggling some more.

"I am sure you could have your pick of any man here and they would willingly fall at your feet if given the chance," he continued to flatter.

"That is a nice thought," she remarked, trying to picture every man in the Great Hall kneeling before her. It brought a sparkle of mischief to her eyes.

As they danced on, everyone else seemed able to finally pull their eyes away and continue with what they were doing before Sigyn arrived and interrupted their thought processes.

Except Loki.

He had moved over to a servant pouring fresh cups of wine and grabbed a new one for himself, downing it in one gulp and then weaving almost catlike through the crowd of attendees. His eyes were almost always focused on Sigyn. He passed another servant and grabbed a glass of whatever beverage was on the tray he was carrying. Loki sipped it this time and winced initially before downing the rest. It was mead; Thor's drink of choice, thus stronger.

Finally, after two whole dances together, Sigyn appeared to be parting ways with Fandral and Loki saw his chance. He pushed someone aside; not too rough, but not exactly gently either. He walked out to the dance floor and immediately caught Sigyn's eye.

"Sigyn," he spoke firmly with a hint nerves bundled in his voice. His green eyes implored her green eyes, hoping she could sense he wanted to dance with her before he verbally expressed it. "May I have this next dance?"

She looked at Fandral who had already begun to retreat, smiled endearingly at him, and then back to Loki with just as endearing a smile. "_Please_," she commented, hinting at him to be a bit more well-mannered.

"I said 'may I,'" he replied, swooping one arm around her waist without a moment's hesitation. His free hand took a hold of hers and he pulled their bodies close as the song that was already being performed by the musicians played on.

Sigyn stared his face up and down and instantly moved with him about the dance floor. She may have felt the girlish butterflies in her stomach where Fandral was concerned, but with Loki it felt as if a stampede of horses were running around. Her chest felt flush and she could feel the warmth rising to her face. There was barely a centimeter of space between them and it was like static energy was keeping them bound. Even her fingertips were tingling; it was that heady of a feeling.

And she wasn't alone.

Loki could feel his heart pounding in his chest; he could hear the pounding in his ears. "You're breathtaking, Sigyn," he whispered, staring at her lips.

"You're…" She wasn't sure what she was going to say. Her brain lapsed for a moment.

An impish smile flickered at the corners of Loki's lips. "I know it was awkward this afternoon. I'm sorry for that."

"You do not need to apologize. We are adults now. There is nothing saying you can't sew your wild oats with whomever you want." She looked up from staring at his lips to look him in the eye, tilting her head slightly to the left. "I hope you don't feel you have to get my permission first."

_I want you_, he thought loudly in his head. "Of course not," he remarked with a forced chuckle.

Sigyn subconsciously licked her bottom lip as the musicians began to play a more up-tempo song. She had taken dance lessons in her youth, as most of the upper families did, to help teach grace and fluidity of the body's movement. Loki was also once such youth to learn. Him and Thor had had interesting lessons with their dance tutors growing up; mostly because Loki, with a more lithe body, seemed better built for the skill than the larger, bulkier Thor, who used to lumber through the steps like a gorilla. Loki was able to twirl and dip Sigyn, where the danced allowed, and his hips swayed and moved in time with hers; him leading, her following.

After one such dip, he snapped her back up; her chest instantly pressed against his, and heaving from simple breath and also the excitable nerves wracking through her body. As their faces neared closer, their noses practically touching, both remembered where they were and tried to focus on just dancing and nothing more.

Freya had left Frigga's side by that point to mingle with her new dwarf husband Iwaldi and other guests, most likely to pride over her daughter. Odin, in all his larger than life regality, sidled up beside his wife to take in the sight of the festivities.

Looking over her shoulder at him, Frigga nudged his arm gently. "I have a feeling there is more than a feeling of friendship between those two," she deduced.

"Between whom?"

Frigga gave a simple nod of her head in the direction of Loki and Sigyn; the chemistry between them as obvious as a house engulfed in flames. Odin settled his left eye upon his youngest son and niece.

"They do make a beautiful couple. They would give us gorgeous grandchildren."

Odin turned his head and just stared at his wife with his only eye. "You know it cannot be permitted as long as the realm believes Loki to be our blood son," he whispered for her ears only.

"Maybe," Frigga said. "But what is the harm. Even in the eyes of the realm, they are only cousins, and her father, your brother, isn't even a part of this realm anymore. It is like she is no longer your niece and strictly of Freya only. Surely we could allow—"

"No, Frigga. We cannot. They will have to contain whatever it is they may or may not feel for each other and, in time, find another to make a marital bed with."

"It is not like they are brother and sister, and we know they aren't related by blood—"

"And undo everything we've kept hidden up until now? No, I said. I will not have it." Odin was more authoritative with his wife that time, causing her to bite back anything further she might've wanted to say. "For the sake of the greater good of the realm—"

"We must sacrifice the happiness of our son? Because he is our son, no matter his parentage, and I do not know that I can stand idly by and watch his heart potentially break when we try and curb the feelings he most likely has for Sigyn. I cannot bear it."

Odin glanced at his wife, the mama bear defiance in her face; ready to fight for her children. It warmed his heart, but his steely resolve was steadfast. "Then we will wait," he spoke, his voice softening. "We will wait to see how their relationship unfolds. If it gets any closer, we shall have to put a stop to it."

"But surely there can be another way to distract them from one another? Perhaps we can find a worthy suitor for Sigyn who can love her and make her as happy as Loki clearly does." Frigga threw him a casual look over her shoulder at him. "As her uncle, you are her next male, blood relative with whom she is to look up to, to come to for guidance as she would her father were he still here."

"She has her stepfather."

"Whom she would've only met today. It feels like Freya goes through husbands like our Thor goes through mead and beautiful ladies."

Odin couldn't help but smirk briefly. "Another thing we must soon curb as well."

"Freya may be Sigyn's mother but she is not one to provide Sigyn with the constancy of a father figure. You must play that role. _You_ took her father from her; _you_ must step up and fill in the gap as much as needed."

"This does not help your defense in wanting Loki and Sigyn to have a happy life together, my love."

"I know, but if they cannot love together, then it is up to you to secure the best possible mate for each of them, as both their father and uncle, respectively, and as their king."

* * *

In the weeks and months that followed, Sigyn sat by as the ladies she had trained with went about their new paths in life. Brunhilde went on to join the Valkyries as well as most others, one was putting off joining the Valkyries or remaining a shield maiden because she had just wed and wanted to start a family of her own first, and Sif had decided that becoming a Valkyrie wasn't for her. She believed that if she had been trained to fight like a man and to successfully fight them as well, she should be able to fight alongside them. Her angle was to be able to go off and train further and fight with Thor and his comrades.

Sigyn, however, lacked all of those ambitions, save for the marital part. She wanted to marry, have a home of her own, but there was no rush for her now. Things at her mother's home were actually better than she could've ever remembered and she chalked it up to her dwarf stepfather Iwaldi who was a very decent man and, Sigyn believed, a better husband for Freya than Odr had been.

She spent a lot of her time with her sisters, especially Gersemi who seemed to look up to her the most and wanted to learn shield maiden things, so Sigyn taught her a few combat tricks she had learned. When not with her sisters, Sigyn would read or write in her journal. Several of her entries dealt with Loki; their friendship, a few more advanced magic techniques he had learned in her absence and was trying to teach her and her taboo attraction toward him. But recently she had added more to her journal entries involving Fandral.

He had come to visit her very frequently at home, to go for walks with her or even share lunch together by the lake. She could sense he wanted more from her, where a commitment was concerned, but she was happy with the way things were at present. They were merely spending time together and it had been a good number of years away, so she wasn't about to jump into anything with Fandral, especially if they hadn't been all that close before she left for training.

But, he was handsome. Perhaps it was sheer vanity, but when she thought about it, that was probably her main reason for spending time with him. She saw how the other young women at court glared jealously at her when they saw Fandral the Dashing chatting her up or walking anywhere with her arm through hers. She loved that feeling she riled up in them. It gave her a sense of pride and accomplishment.

And then there was the time she spent with Loki, doing all the same things they did in their younger years and the same things she did with Fandral; walks, lunch by the lake. One of those differences was when she was at court with him instead of Fandral and those same girls who previously glowered were looking her way, she would snicker something mocking about them to Loki and he would laugh, both looking back at the young women with mischief in their eyes.

Loki was her best friend in every sense of the word and she knew she loved him, deep down, as more than that. It was beginning to become undeniable the more time passed; it was almost heart-wrenching. She couldn't picture anyone else being at her side for all of time. But, despite this, she still wasn't ready for what happened when Fandral finally asked her to officially become his betrothed. He stood across from her at the water's edge of the lake, offering her a ring. She didn't know how to respond and it wasn't something she wanted to give a yes or no answer to right away without some forethought. She told him as much, since it was such a big step, and he respected her wish.

And while she might have made the decision on her own, she was not planning on the reaction she received from Fandral's parents.

She did not know if Fandral, himself, had immediately gone home to tell them he was awaiting an answer to his proposal or if someone had found out, but his mother and father certainly did. It was that evening, when Sigyn was home. She heard voices in the drawing room, well after dinner had transpired, and she crept down the stairs to have a listen.

Sigyn crouched down onto one of the steps and gripped one of the rails to the marble bannister as she strained to hear. It was two voices, one man and one female, speaking heatedly with her mother and stepfather.

"We cannot allow this match to happen, Freya," came the female voice.

"And why the hell not? My daughter is as good a catch as any. She is, in fact, the most beautiful young woman in this entire realm, do you deny it?" Sigyn felt a swelling of pride. She had never heard her mother talk about her in such a way to others. "You will not find a better mate for your son."

"We do not deny her beauty, but it is not her beauty we are concerned about," spoke the male.

"What is it? She spends too much time with Prince Loki, is that it?" And there was the mother Sigyn knew.

"Nothing to do with that, either, although their close proximity during the celebratory feast for the shield maidens a few months back was rather questionable…"

"Whatever your problem with Sigyn, out with it!" she could hear her stepfather Iwaldi bark.

"It is the matter of her father, Ve 'Lodur' Borson, the traitor to this realm. We cannot allow our son to be forever linked in matrimony to the daughter of a known traitor. It is obvious how much more Sigyn is like her father than you, Freya, no matter how much you try to believe otherwise. No shield maiden training or enhancement of her beauty can change that. She is Sigyn Lodursdóttir, Not Sigyn _Freyas_dóttir. That will never change.

"How dare you!" Freya growled.

"You cannot think less Sigyn because of something her father did when she was but a child. She is still oblivious to his actions back then. She has never been told the details. You blame the child for the mistakes of the parent!"

Sigyn's heart jumped into her throat. It must be Fandral's parents who were speaking to Freya and Iwaldi.

"We are sorry, Freya; Iwaldi. But this is our decision. We have expressed it with our son and he understands where we stand. If he goes against our wishes and goes through with this betrothal to marry your daughter, he knows he will be our son no longer."

"You would disown your own son for who he chooses to love?" Iwaldi was really standing up for Sigyn and it made her happy to have a stepfather who thought so well of her and cared enough to put effort into being there for her.

"If your son still wants my daughter's hand, he will be most welcome into my home. He will not need you, he will have us," Freya snipped. "Now, if you will be so kind as to leave my home before we say anything further that will do greater damage."

Sigyn jumped to her feet and turned the corner from the staircase, hiding behind a pillar with her nerves frayed and her heart pounding in her ears. The doors to the drawing room swung open and a faire-haired couple stalked out. Sigyn stole a glance and, sure enough, they were definitely Fandral's parents. Freya stepped out of the room and gesture to the doorman to let Fandral's parents out and as soon as the main doors were closed shut, Frey flew into a tirade.

"The audacity of those fools!" she threw her hands up in the air. "How dare they come into my home and insult my daughter! Sigyn is not good enough for their precious Fandral? I say Fandral is not good enough for Sigyn!"

As completely overwhelmed she was with her mother's pride in her, Sigyn couldn't get past the feeling of rejection from Fandral's mother and father. Her brow knitted together and she bit her bottom lip, the weight of that rejection heavy on her chest. As a single tear stung at the corner of her eye, Sigyn wiped it away and stepped out from behind the pillar, long enough for Freya and Iwaldi to notice, but she didn't stop. She ran off in the direction of the servant's entrance on the other side of the estate and pushed through that door like, well, Thor. As soon as the night air hit her face, fresh tears sprang forward. She stopped long enough to hunch forward for a moment and begin to comprehend what to do and how to react.

And there, through the depths of her mind, only one clear image came to mind of where to be.

* * *

Loki was changing out of his day clothes into his nightwear, standing in his bed chamber in nothing more than his pants and a green, silk robe that hung open as he placed a book from his desk to his bed with the intentions of reading it before sleep. He was doing this more subconsciously as his mind was elsewhere, thinking of how he had literally sent his mind elsewhere earlier that day.

He had followed Sigyn and Fandral and, had overheard and seen his proposal of marriage to her, all the while grinding his teeth in frustration and slight fear. Fear of losing Sigyn to the insipidly 'dashing' friend of his much-beloved-by-all brother, Thor. He immediately sent a mental duplicate himself to Fandral's home, watched his parents sitting down for tea together. He watched them as an invisible reflection in the mirror above the fireplace and whispered into their minds of Fandral's intentions to marry Sigyn, daughter of Lodur. That was all he had whispered into their minds so that they would assume the thoughts were their own. He made no mention further of Sigyn's father or what he had done in the past. He would let it play out however it was going to play out. But he was hoping for a result that leaned in his favor, and that favor being no betrothal at all between Sigyn to Fandral.

As he stepped around his bed, he stopped; his back to the balcony doors. A smile began to spread to his lips as he casually turned around to behold Sigyn standing in the doorway. "You seem the only one able to sneak up on me," he muttered before noticing the sadness in Sigyn's eyes. His smile disappeared almost immediately. "What is wrong?"

Instead of answering right away, she hurried up to him, her hair bouncing around her shoulders, and threw her arms tightly around his waist. She began to cry softly against the smoothness of his chest and at the sensation of one of her tears rolling down his skin, Loki immediately realized what had happened and his guilt began to eat at him.

"What is it, Sigyn, which makes you so sad?" he implored.

"Fandral's parents paid my mother and Iwaldi a visit tonight," she whispered. "I overheard them talking."

"About what?"

"Fandral proposed to me this very afternoon, but I told him I needed time to think over an answer and he must have told them he at least proposed because, otherwise, how could they know?"

"What did they say to your mother and stepfather?" Loki was starting to feel a little angry. He sensed that whatever was said had hurt Sigyn's feelings, something he hadn't intended to happen when he manipulated the thoughts of Fandral's mother and father.

"That I was not worthy of their son, and they do not wish him to enter into marriage with the daughter of a known traitor!" she cried. Slowly, Sigyn raised her head and looked up at Loki. "I know people have always whispered behind my back because of who my father is, but to think less of me for whatever he did as if I am just as guilty? How can someone be so close-minded?"

Loki pursed his lips together, his guilt for his part in this fiasco quickly replaced by anger. He realized that whether or not he had been the invisible bird that told them about the pending betrothal or not, this would have been the reaction of Fandral's parents, regardless. This is how they really thought of Sigyn and Loki was infuriated.

"They have no right to think of you in such a way," he assured, bringing his arms to wrap around her just as tightly as she held onto him. "They are clearly too blinded by the sins of others to see the beauty and wonder that is you. I should have their hides for this hindrance. Whether or not your father was a traitor to this realm, they have thus insulted the niece of the All-father, their king! I cannot stand for this!"

Loki pulled away long enough to take a single step to the side, only for Sigyn to grabbed his hands and smile at him. His vehemence in wanting to defend her honor warmed her heart and made the sadness over the rejection that had been bestowed upon her much less.

"Loki, don't. It is useless, and will only exacerbate things further," she insisted. "I'd rather not think any more on this tonight. Your need to be my knight in shining armor has made me feel considerably better and I thank you." She reached up and placed the tips of her fingers against his temple.

_You mean the universe to me, Loki_, she whispered into his mind, a trick he had taught her many years before when they were but children.

He had forgotten he had taught her how to do that and stared at her with surprise at first, and then knitted his brow together with the overwhelming feeling of love he had for her; both platonic and more than that. His lips formed a smile, and his eyes sparkled with the fire light in his bed chamber's fireplace.

_And you to me, my darling Sigyn_, he thought back to her. He pulled her back up against him and enveloped her in a hug. _I only wish to see you happy_. Placing a kiss atop her head, he felt like he was where he should be; not in his room, but in her arms…with her.

She had that effect on him; she calmed his mind and soul. He ached to be more to her and for her, but the ramifications could be damning for both of them. Plus he wasn't even sure she felt the same way about him that he did about her. For now he was just happy to have her in any capacity at all.


	9. Forbidden Kisses

Since Sigyn's disastrous betrothal to Fandral that never was, her days were primarily spent with Loki, though that was not necessarily something new. Every morning she woke up and readied herself for the day which she knew would involve him in some aspect. They made their plans ahead of time and it usually kept her from falling asleep right away the night before; her mind reeling with so many thoughts about the enjoyable times they would have in each other's company. And on one such day, they decided to head down to the infamous lake of theirs and the others' collective youths, but this time, not just to swim, but to have a bit of an adventure.

They had talked about how the cavern behind the waterfall, on the north side of the lake, had always been a mystery to them. No one knew where it led, if it led to anywhere at all. Some say it was haunted by the spirits of the fallen Asgardians who had not been granted to rest eternally in Valhalla. Others said the most evil and vile creatures dwelled within, waiting for naïve and unsuspecting fools to venture beyond the watery curtain only to meet their doom. Although most laughed the theories off and claimed them to be just tall tales to scare children, there was still the superstition that pulled at everyone's minds. They had been told of those theories and stories for so long and so often, that it was hard to believe there wasn't an ounce of truth to them.

But Loki and Sigyn had finally decided to swallow whatever latent fear resided in their hearts and minds, replacing it with excitement over the possibility of there being something amazing on the other side of the waterfall. So, bright and early on the day they chose to venture out, they told no one where they were going for fear that, for example, Thor might find out and want to join them. That was more Loki's fear. He wanted something of his own he could hold above his brother's head that said he had bested the glorious Thor at something for once; for there to be something Loki overshadowed Thor with rather than the other way around.

The only way to the waterfall was to swim to it, as there was no direct access. Shedding the outer layer of their clothes once they reached the lake's watery edge, they looked at each other as they walked into the lake, one step at a time. Loki looked to his right, Sigyn standing there in a short chemise she had been wearing under the tunic-style dress she had been wearing not moments before. It barely covered her ass and he had to force himself not to stare. Dragging his eyes to the waterfall about one hundred yards across the lake to the northwest of where they were standing, he bit his bottom lip and inhaled a deep breath, just as he felt a hand envelope his. He looked down once more and saw it was Sigyn squeezing his hand with her own. She looked up at him with a smile.

"Ready?" was all she asked him.

Loki nodded and smiled. "Yes. Do you have your dagger?"

Sigyn lifted the right side of her chemise and turned her body slightly to reveal a dagger strapped to her right thigh. "Of course. Do you have yours?"

Loki simply gave a flick of his left hand and a dagger appeared in his palm. "Yes."

Sigyn smirked. "Tricky, tricky."

"Would you expect anything less?" Loki grinned as he flicked his hand again, and instead of the dagger falling into the water from the gesture, it disappeared.

The both of them looked back toward the waterfall and slowly they waded through the water until it was more than waist deep on them. They released each other's hand and leaned their bodies forward to begin the swim across the rest of the lake. Exerting oneself physically was no problem for an Asgardian, so the trek through the water was fairly easy and quite lovely. Loki and Sigyn even paused in their "mission" to splash each other a few times, thereby completely soaking each other with water, where their heads had been previously dry.

As they reached the waterfall, larger rocks appeared from parts of the cliff above that had eroded and dislodged, falling to the lake below possibly centuries earlier. Loki reached one such boulder first and scaled it, to get to the part of the cliff face that had a bit of a slippery rock ledge to walk upon in order to get behind the watery curtain. He remained crouched though as he turned enough to give Sigyn a hand and help her up and when they were both standing on the same boulder; they looked at the rushing water, its mist covering them with a slick sheen of a million droplets. He glanced at her and her at him before they wordlessly continued onward.

Sigyn hopped to another boulder and Loki made a leap to reach the watery ledge, gripping at a groove in the rock wall as not to slip and fall backward. And before Sigyn could react, Loki had slipped behind the waterfall.

She frowned at how lithe he had been in his movements, like a snake slithering effortlessly on the ground. "No fair!" she laughed enviously just as his hand reached out and grabbed hers. He pulled her behind the curtain in the swiftest of gestures.

Sigyn was able to refrain from stumbling as she found herself inside the entrance of the cavern. It was dimly lit from the light filtering through the water surging behind them, but the further in they tried to peer, the darker it became. They couldn't tell if the cavern continued on, or if it was nothing more than a cave. Loki, instinctively, pulled her closer to him with the innate sense of needing and wanting to protect her from whatever loomed ahead.

"I cannot believe we actually did this, that we're inside," Sigyn beamed. She gripped his forearm and tried to venture deeper in but Loki pulled her back.

"Wait," he muttered, turning the palm of his hand upward and forming a ball of green, wispy light. Sigyn released his arm so that he could summon a flameless torch in his other hand. Casually, he placed the wispy ball of green light upon the torch and it began to blaze with green fire. He held it out in front of them, casting dancing shadows upon the cavern walls. He took her hand once more and slowly but surely they began to walk toward the unknown.

"Do you think we'll find anything?" she wondered.

"Probably just the bones of rodents or possibly men who have ventured here before us and not survived to tell the tale," he replied, throwing an impish smirk her way.

Sigyn swatted at his shoulder. "Oh, stop."

All he did was laugh in return.

As they continued to walk, it felt like a millennia had passed; the cavern seemed never-ending or maybe it was the fractured light messing with their perception. Finally, the reached what appeared to be an open area that was large like a throne room. Up above was a considerable amount of sunlight shining through a hole in what looked to be a canopy of vines and moss. It was light enough to see their surroundings but Loki chose to keep his torch with him.

"Is that…a bed?" he heard Sigyn question.

He turned toward the direction she was speaking of and, sure enough, there appeared to be a makeshift bed made out of straw, dry-rotted linen and some leaves. Off to the side was an abandoned fire pit with residue from a fire gone by.

"Do you think someone lived here?"

"Looks like it," Loki replied. "But clearly not for some time."

Sigyn stepped toward the makeshift bed and kicked at the edge of it and some dust billowed up, then cascading back onto the linen and to the ground. "A long time," she spoke, craning her neck to glance at the canopy above; a large enough ray of sunlight surrounding her and giving her a sort of glow.

Loki took notice, watching how she raised her chin upwards, elongating her neck; the sunlight glistening on her damp skin from lake's water and the waterfall's mist. Each damp strand of her hair shined like onyx and clung to the back of her neck and her chemise did the same to her body. Each curve was accentuated, every dimple slightly more noticeable. His green eyes grew darker with lust despite his best intentions. He just couldn't tear his gaze from her. She was just too breathtaking a creature to behold.

After a few moments, Sigyn could sense he was looking at her and she turned to look back at him. He was still somewhat in the shadows of cavernous room. But she could see the glimmer in his eyes from the torch in his hands, giving his skin a green hue. Neither spoke; they just stared at one another and, for what seemed to be the first time, they were on the same wavelength.

_You look fantastic right now_, he thought to her; words verbal words, unnecessary.

Sigyn raised an eyebrow. _Only now?_

_All the time._

Loki stepped forward, giving the torch a shake and causing the entire torch, flame and all, to disappear. The closer he got to Sigyn, the more the cavernous room seemed to lose air. The temperature also felt like it rose considerably; the dampness upon their skin was no longer from the water but from their own perspiration. He lifted a hand and placed it upon the curve of her hip, dragging his fingertips precariously upward to her waist and higher. It felt like electricity was surging between them as soon as he made contact with her. To make matters worse, her body betrayed her when it reacted; goosebumps appearing all over her skin. As he slid his hand behind her back, he slowly began to pull her closer to him and she just went with it. Sigyn tilted her head up toward him and lifted a hand of her own to place upon his tunic-covered chest. Loki's other hand lifted to cup the side of her face; his thumb brushing over her bottom lip as he focused on not devouring her mouth without any warning.

But it wasn't himself he had to worry about acting impulsively. Sigyn's desire got the better of her and she grabbed a hold of the front of his water-soaked tunic and forced him to lean down more to her level, causing their lips to crash together for the first time in their entire lives. Loki's stomach did a flip within him and Sigyn's heart began to pound like a hundred drums in her ears. They pressed their bodies firmly against each other; his arms wrapped around her waist with one hand reaching down to grab the top of her ass while she gripped her hands around his neck. Their kiss deepened, their mouths opening to give access to tongues which dueled it out for dominance.

Their skin became flushed with color and slowly they made the move toward the makeshift bed without really realizing that's where they were headed. Loki lifted her slightly enough so that he could set her gently onto the lumpy material, hovering over her as she laid on her back, their lips separating for a moment. She looked up at him and smiled and he smiled back as he positioned his knees on either side of one of her legs. He propped himself up with his hands beside her shoulders, slowly leaning down to kiss her again.

First, he gently bit her bottom lip. Then, he placed his lips fully upon hers; letting his tongue slip between her lips and graze the fronts of her teeth before her tongue emerged and resumed the tussle for dominance with him. The entire time, as he leaned his body down against hers, she rose up to meet him, feeling the need to be as close against his body as physically possible.

Their eyes closed, reveling in the freeing sensation it was to finally have this between each other; something they had secretly been desiring for quite a long time.

_Loki._

His eyes fluttered open as he heard her say his name in his mind.

_My beautiful Sigyn_.

Her eyes opened then, too, staring into his with a smirk. _Your beautiful Sigyn?_

_Yes. Always and forever mine._

All she could do was continue to smirk until he claimed her lips again; this time letting his hands roam up under her chemise. But the second the tips of his fingers made contact with the underside of her breasts, a raven cawed and flew out from one of the shadows in the large, cavernous room, startling both Loki and Sigyn.

Loki practically bolted upright, his eyes wide. He knelt and looked around to where the bird had flown to, both of them knowing at once what bird it was: one of Odin's.

"_Damn_," Loki growled.

Sigyn sat up, placing a hand to her stomach as she gathered her thoughts and wondered what this meant for them. Huginn or Muninn, whichever raven it was, would undoubtedly return to Odin in no time at all and tell him what had just transpired between the sexually frustrated pair. A disgruntled reaction from the All-father was inevitable.

"What do we do now?" Sigyn wondered.

The raven flapped its wings and appeared again, circling above them for a few moments, as if mocking their predicament, before flying higher to slip through the opening in the canopy of leaves and vines above the large, cavernous room. In a last ditch effort, Loki had grabbed one of the rocks that made up the circle that the long discarded fire pit was surrounded by, and chucked it upwards as high as he could throw it, as if it would somehow hit the raven to prevent it from telling what it had seen. With the gesture and obvious failure, Loki sank down from his kneeling position, his shoulders drooping considerably; feeling deflated and a little angry.

"There's nothing we can do," he finally replied. He looked her in the eye and raised his brow, allowing a rueful smirk to dance ever so slightly at the corners of his mouth which was still a little flushed and plump from the hungry kisses they'd shared. "But, seeing as we're probably going to receive hell for our actions, what's the point in stopping now?"

Sigyn narrowed her gaze at him and couldn't help but smirk back at him. "If your father doesn't kill us, my _mother_ will. She cannot stand you," Sigyn snickered.

"I feel like, in this situation, because of who we are, that if it were Thor you were here with, everything would be swept under the carpet, quickly forgiven and forgotten with nary a slap on the wrist." Loki was starting to feel a little bitter and a frown slowly crept its way onto his face, but before it could overcome him, Sigyn reached her hands out to him and cupped both sides of his face.

She knelt before him, looking down into his eyes and smiled reassuringly into them. "Stop comparing yourself to him. I like that you're different. That's what makes you amazing." She leaned in and pressed her lips to his once more; it just felt right.

"_You_ are amazing," he whispered into the warm cavity of her mouth.

Taboo relationship be damned, Loki promised himself he would find a way to love this woman properly. Right now, he was content in just kissing her.

"We should probably make our leave of this place," Sigyn begrudgingly suggested, forcing herself to pull away from him.

He was nearly breathless, looking upon her with love- and lust-filled eyes. "Must we?"

"I think whatever punishment your father might hand out to us for this…transgression…it will be less horrible if we do not dally and make an expeditious attempt to return. Maybe it'll be regarded as we have seen 'the error of our ways' or something to that effect."

Loki chuckled a bit at how she tried to manipulate the reasoning. "I think you have been spending way too much time with me, my darling."

Just then, a second raven fluttered out of the shadows and swiftly flew up through the canopy.

Loki rolled his eyes and growled once more in frustration. "You have _got_ to be kidding me!"

* * *

The first thing Loki and Sigyn did after leaving the cavern and swimming back across the lake was to try and dry off with the towels they'd left for themselves, draped over a branch near the water's edge. After throwing their outer clothes back on, they made the trek through the forested area, holding hands and trying not to smile like complete loons at each other. The moment the shrubbery and trees became suddenly sparse, they released each other's hand almost simultaneously and walked separately in the direction of castle.

Up a hill they went and eventually onto the main road that led into the center of the City of Asgard where several guards stood vigil at the main entrance. Loki simply gave them a smile and a wave and they stepped aside for the young prince and the All-father's niece, the Lady Sigyn. As soon as they were within the castle walls, they scurried toward the Great Hall where Odin's throne sat, expecting it to be empty as they meant to simply pass through. They were quite surprised when they found Odin seated, one arm resting, outstretched, at his side, while the other arm was propped up to hold Gungnir.

The pair stopped immediately when they noticed him, and then bowed their heads obediently. They each spied the ravens, now perched on either side of the enormous throne. Loki smiled charmingly up at his father and took a step forward.

"Hello, father, we—"

But he was cut off by Odin sitting more upright and turning to face Loki more fully, his lips curling in what could only be described as subdued disappointment. "Silence," was Odin's brusque utterance.

Loki stepped back in line with Sigyn; just the tone of his father's voice felt like a slap in the face.

"It has come to attention that the two of you have been to the cavern behind waterfall just beyond the city walls."

"Yes, father—"

"I am not done speaking," Odin bit out. "I know what transpired and your actions were imprudent and cannot be tolerated. I cannot allow anything further to continue between you both." He looked over his shoulders to several of the guards standing watch and dismissed them.

Loki took the opportunity to glance at Sigyn who looked as nervous as he felt. He so desperately wanted to take her hand, hold it, and assure her he was there and everything would be just fine. But he couldn't. He knew such a gesture would quite possibly enrage his father.

"Father, I love—" Again, he was cut off when Odin stood up and growled something indecipherable at him.

"I do not care if this is some passing fancy!" he shouted more freely, knowing his guards were out of earshot. "She is your cousin and I forbid it."

"But plenty Asgardians have taken their cousins as mates!" Loki shouted back defiantly. "I _love_ her!" he emphasized. "Always have." He knitted his brow together; his lips parted as he stepped forward and looked pleadingly as his father. "Please, father: reconsider."

"Do not challenge me, boy!"

"I'm not," Loki insisted. "I'm merely pleading my…_our_ case."

"This relationship between you two, the direction it is headed, is ended. I will hear nothing more on it. And if you push me further, there will be consequences."

Loki felt the anger in him beginning to bubble in the pit of his chest. "Do you not even care about our feelings? Are you that heartle—"

"_Awwwrrraggghh_!" Odin growled, pointing a livid finger at his younger son.

"You, Loki, will be joining your brother Thor. You will be learning combat skills; no more of your dalliances in sorcery. You leave tonight."

"Wait—_what_?"

"Sigyn," Odin spoke, causing her to finally look up and make eye contact with her uncle. "You will be meeting with potential suitors. If you will not make yourself useful as a Valkyrie or a Shield Maiden, I will see you wed to someone of my choosing."

Sigyn's jaw dropped. Had she lost another chance to make any decisions for herself, once again? Why did everyone make her decisions for her? A few tears that had been stinging her eyes finally fell; rolling down her face in two perfect streams.

"Am I understood?" Odin questioned of her.

"Yes, All-father," she replied meekly.

Loki looked at her profile; his heart feeling as if it was being ripped from his chest. But he didn't want to give his father the benefit of the doubt. He didn't want to show any more emotion about the subject, so he bit his bottom lip, composed himself as best as he could and stared with defiant eyes straight ahead.

"You may go, Sigyn," Odin dismissed.

Obediently, Sigyn turned to leave, but not without throwing a heartbreaking glance at Loki. He turned his head, watching her figure sauntered away; her shoulders slumped in brokenhearted defeat. His fingers splayed out at their sides, yearning to touch her hand as she went but receiving no such contact. When he turned back to face his father, Thor had appeared, slightly oblivious to what had just gone down.

"What is the matter?" Odin's eldest son inquired, looking between his father and brother.

"When you leave tonight for Svartálfaheim, Loki will be joining you and the others. You will personally oversee he is up to speed with his combat skills and the art of war."

"Really?" Thor didn't care, but he was quite surprised. Up until then, Loki had been the homebody; Thor was the warrior. But this was good news to Thor who would relish in having his brother at his side while they did battle together.

"Yes," was Odin's reply; short and simple.

Thor walked up to Loki and slapped him on the back with a smile and a laugh. "Hah, this will be good times for us, brother!"

"If you say so," Loki replied. His expression was blank now; he had wiped all emotion from his face and felt no better than a voiceless puppet at the moment. He looked once more at their father, a single tear brimming at his eye before turning his head away and leaving the Great Hall with Thor, who seemed even more oblivious to his younger brother's aching heart than the entire scene he was late to happen upon.

On the outside he put forward a demeanor, cool as ice, but inside Loki was a fireball of rage suffocating and clawing to be free, but would remain shoved far down for a long time to come.


	10. Aches & Pains

**My Beautiful Ending: Yes, I couldn't resist in putting Odin's indecipherable shouting!**

**A/N: Enjoy, everyone! R & R!**

* * *

There were at least a few dozen bildgesnipe running toward them as they stood, flanked together at the edge of a large canyon. Thor, Loki, Lady Sif and the Warriors Three, as they had become known – Hogun, Fandral and Volstagg – were dressed in their battle armor, ready to stop the pulverization created by the unsightly creatures. They were all brandishing obvious weapons; Thor had his new hammer Mjolnir, Sif had her sword and shield, Hogun had his mace for bludgeoning, Volstagg had a two-sided axe and Fandral had his sword. That left Loki with none of those. He preferred to not get into thick of the fight if he could help it. The others could take the front line, he would bring up the rear, armed with his throwing knives and trickery.

He was the brain to their brawn; always thinking before he acted. He waited for the opponent to give hint to their first move before making one himself. And though he disliked, immensely, being torn away from Sigyn and forced to join his brother and friends on their adventures into small battles and other skirmishes, the one upside was that it became a scapegoat for his anger and frustration. He was able to take it out on whatever they were deduced to fighting at the time.

And right now it was bildgesnipe; the large, scaly beasts with enormous antlers that trampled anything in their path.

Thor led them all in the attack, running at the beasts, jumping high into the air and coming down on the head of one of the bildgesnipe with Mjolnir, virtually decimating its skull in a single blow. Thor could be heard chuckling amidst the thunderous stampede and the clanking of the others' weapons against the beasts they were trying to fight off.

Still, Loki remained further back, not directly in the fight. Behind his back, however, was a handful of throwing knives. He was eyeing a bildgesnipe that was charging toward him and before it could get any closer, Loki threw one of those throwing knives right into the bildgesnipe's jugular. Loki quickly jumped out of the way as the beast let out an angered groan and fell face first into the ground and slid the rest of the way, only inches from where Loki was standing.

He looked down at the creature, taking in its massive antlers that curved backward. With great trepidation, the younger son of Odin stepped closer to inspect. The beast groaned some more, whether in agony or as a defensive response to Loki's proximity was unknown. Loki braved the gesture in reaching his hand out to touch one of the antlers and as he did so, the beast groaned once more, but it was more obvious it was just in agony. Loki knitted his brow together, starting to feel bad for the beast as it lay there injured and bleeding profusely from its neck. As Loki gripped his throwing knife sticking out of the bildgesnipe's neck, he was moments away from just pulling out and letting it die in peace when he heard Thor's voice shouting out to him.

"Finish the kill, brother! Do not let these beasts get the better of us!"

Loki looked toward Thor who was practically neck deep in slain bildgesnipe. He let out a huff of breath and gripped the throwing knife a bit firmer and without provocation, jammed it deeper into the beast's throat until his entire fist was inside the beast. The gurgling sound the expelled from the beast's mouth was quite unnerving when Loki removed his hand which was covered in the rather cold, slick blood. Loki grimaced, shaking his hand free of the blood as he looked up just in time to see another bildgesnipe coming right for him.

Before he could react, Sif came out of nowhere and severed the beast's head clean off its body before it could do harm to Loki, who ducked low to the ground as the headless body went flying off the edge of the cliff and fell down into the canyon below. The head rolled a bit till it came to a stop beside the other bildgesnipe Loki had killed.

He looked at Sif who looked pretty pleased with herself.

"You're welcome," she remarked, smirking at him.

Loki feigned a smile though his nostrils flared slightly. "I could have easily had him."

"Of course you could," Sif replied, clearly not believing him. She waited not for any response as she turned and ran back toward the fight.

Loki just remained there, crouched on the ground, growing tired of this fighting but not wanting to be proved weaker than a girl. He jumped up to his feet and decided he would pull out all the stops. He growled as he ran forward a few feet and threw the remainder of his throwing knives at several of the bildgesnipe nearest him. One knife unfortunately got Fandral in the leg as he was practically riding one of the beasts in question.

Fandral the Dashing let out a yelp and removed the knife from his leg, sending Loki an infuriated look. "Watch where you throw those things, Odinson!"

Loki didn't bother uttering an apology, he just smiled. "I'm not the one riding my target like a horse!" he shouted back.

In the fray of it all, Loki suddenly became the target of many a bildgesnipe who felt the need to run at him all at once. However, they would not achieve their goal in attacking him, for as soon as they reached him, they went soaring off the edge of the canyon like the other before them. All the while, the real Loki was standing off to the side, calling off his double. But his cockiness in the trick got the best of him when he was suddenly blindsided the sharp point of an antler that stabbed him in the abdomen.

Loki was thrown back to the ground to writhe in pain and he screamed out. In an instant, Thor was there and annihilated the skull of the offending bildgesnipe. While the others finished off the remaining beasts, Thor knelt down to his younger brother to inspect the wound.

"Brother, how bad is it?" he asked, lowering a hand to where he saw the blood coming out of.

Loki, lying flat on his back, lifted his head to peer down at his abdomen, gritting his teeth through the pain. "Uh, I'll…live, I suppose," he huffed.

"Hogun!" Thor shouted. "Loki has been badly injured! We need to get him some healing!" Thor looked back down at Loki who was trying his best to be manly about his injury and not react as badly as he wanted to. "I saw it, brother. That bildgesnipe was coming right for you but you were not paying it any mind. You must be aware of your surroundings at all times in a fight like this."

"I was aware," Loki insisted through gritted teeth. "The damned thing just caught me off guard, is all."

Hogun appeared a moment later at their side. "Volstagg has the last of them. We can leave here shortly to return home to Asgard."

"Good," Thor spoke. "Help me carry my brother."

Loki felt mortified being treated as such, like some wounded pet. He was a man, a prince. He hated the feel of the others' eyes upon him; he could almost hear their mocking commentary in their heads, wondering why he was even there to begin with. Loki never wanted to be there to begin with. It was all Odin's decision and he was in no position to speak against his father.

When Volstagg, Sif and Fandral joined Thor and Hogun at Loki's side, it was Volstagg, the largest of all of them, who lifted Loki up into his arms, further mortifying the dark-haired prince.

"Heimdall!" Thor shouted skyward. "Open the Bifrost for us!"

* * *

Because of the pain caused by the bildgesnipe antler to his abdomen, Loki was a little disoriented when they all returned to Asgard. He barely remembered the sensation of being pulled through the Bifrost back to their home world. Volstagg still carried him but was propped onto Thor's horse with him for the ride back into the city, where he was at once taken to one of the healing rooms.

While there, his armor was peeled away along with his leather outerwear, then his green shirt was cut from his body as he lay upon a bed. He was looking up at the spired ceiling of the room, allowing his eyes to close as healing was administered to his wound. The voices of those around him fell to a dull murmur, using the time he was being healed for some much needed sleep; something of which he got little of while cavorting on the other realms for battles and combat anything with Thor and the others.

Sometime later he finally awoke; it could have been minutes, hours or days. He really knew not. He licked his lips and cleared his groggy throat, sitting up slowly and casting his long legs off the edge of the bed. As he gripped the edge of the bed with his hands, he hunched forward slightly and pressing his hand to where his wound was. Being bare-chested, he didn't need to lift a shirt to see it and wasn't surprised at all to see the wound was successfully healed, though a scar remained. He felt no more pain and could barely remember what it felt like.

Lithely, he slipped off the bed and sauntered over to where his armor and leather outerwear had been draped over a wooden chair. His green shirt was nowhere to be found. He didn't bother with the armor, leaving it there to be taken care of by someone else, but grabbed the leather jacket and threw it on in a gracefully swift movement. There was a strap that went from one shoulder to the opposite waist and a belt involved in the jacket but he left them undone, exiting the healing room with the jacket open.

The swagger in his walk was unmistakable as he walked through the halls and servants in the house of Odin bowed their heads to him as he passed. He paid them no mind however as he made his way toward his bed chamber, only to be stopped by the sound of Frigga from behind him.

"Oh, my son, I was just coming to check on you," she called out happily.

Loki turned and smiled upon her, allowing her to meet him halfway and then enveloping his mother in a hug. "Hello, mother," he greeted.

"You scared me," she whispered into his neck. "I thought you had fallen. I couldn't bear the thought of you being gone from our world for good."

"If I had, I would not have been far away. I'm sure falling in battle would garner me a place in Valhalla, especially as a son of Odin."

Frigga pulled back and placed the palm of her hand against his face, staring up into his eyes. "I would rather it was I who passed from this life first before you and your brother. A parent should not live to witness a child's death."

"I am not a child anymore, though."

"You are always my child."

Loki's heart swelled in his chest and he pulled his mother closer to press a kiss to her forehead. "I know, mother," he smirked. "Have no fear, though. I survived and was healed. I live to see another day at least."

"You will see many, many more. You have many centuries ahead of you yet."

Loki placed his arm out, offering it to Frigga for her to put hers through so that they might walk alongside each other. She graciously accepted the offer and leaned into him slightly. "Tell me, mother…" he began.

"Yes?"

"I need to know…" He looked at her and frowned a little. "How is Sigyn? Is she well? Has…has father found her a husband?"

Frigga felt her heartstrings being pulled as she met her younger son's gaze. She didn't bother beating around the bush; either way the answer she gave him she knew would not be happily received. "Yes, he has."

Loki blinked away threatening tears, pursed his lips and nodded solemnly. "Who has he chosen for her? Do I know him?"

"He is Theoric."

"I do not know a Theoric," Loki commented. "Is he a noble?"

"His family was Vanir as was Sigyn's mother's family was before the Vanir-Aesir War. He hails from Vanaheim and is quite valiant. He has trained in combat, though he not active as a warrior as, say, Thor is."

"No one is," Loki mumbled a little bitterly. "Is he handsome and dashing as well?"

"Loki, I would think you would be more concerned with whether or not Sigyn is happy?"

He cast his eyes downward and let out a sigh. "Is Sigyn happy?"

Frigga could only express a rueful smile. "She is happy enough," she replied. "He has been very lovely; he treats her with respect and dotes on her."

"Does he love her?"

"That I cannot say," Frigga shrugged. She watched as his shoulders fell and could tell his heart was aching. "My son, I know this is difficult to accept, but you must move past this. You will find someone else to love in time. You will find your own happiness."

"No, mother." Loki jerked his arm away from her, unapologetically. "If I cannot make Sigyn my bride, I will make _no_ woman my bride."

Without another word, he stormed away.

* * *

Sigyn was standing at the doors of her bed chamber's balcony, staring out at the night scenery before her. She was deeply lost in thought and never heard her mother enter in with a white gown draped across her arms.

"Come away from there, dear. I want you to see this," Freya spoke.

Snapping out of her reverie, Sigyn turned to look upon her mother, laying the dress out on her bed. "What is it?" she wondered.

"It is to be your wedding dress, of course."

Sigyn smiled gently and stepped over to her mother to inspect the material. She placed a hand over it, feeling it and appreciating its beauty. "It's gorgeous."

"It was mine."

"It was?"

Freya nodded. "I wore it when I married your father so long ago." She looked at her daughter's profile and pushed a few strands of dark hair behind her ears. "I thought it fitting that you should wear this particular dress. Your father will not be present to give you away, but at least you can wear the dress I wore the day I became his wife."

Sigyn lifted the dress up; it was white satin with a lace overlay, adorned with crystals and gold beads. It was exceptionally stunning. "Did you love him, my father, when you married him?"

"Yes, I did. He was a bit on the quiet side, a thinker and very noble of heart. He believed in equality amongst all the realms and argued with his brother, the All-father, Odin about such matters quite frequently. Odin was always the more strong-minded, headstrong brother, much like his son Thor." Freya watched her daughter's face. "I realize that is why you always liked Loki so much; he was just like your father; an intellectual instead of a fighter."

Sigyn didn't feel like speaking of Loki right now; it made her heart hurt. "Who will give me away, when I wed Theoric?"

"Iwaldi, I suppose, unless you would prefer someone else. Odin maybe?"

"Iwaldi will be fine. He is a wonderful stepfather."

Freya grinned. "I shall pass that along to him." She reached a hand out to stroke the material of her first wedding dress. "Do you want to try this on?"

"Not yet."

"Very well."

Sigyn looked at her mother. "I do not mean to dismiss you so abruptly, but would you mind terribly if I were left alone right now? I have a lot on my mind."

Freya patted Sigyn's arm. "Of course, my dear. Tomorrow is your big day, after all. You should get some rest." She stood up and placed a kiss upon her daughter's cheek before slinking out of the room.

When Sigyn was alone again, she pursed her lips together in frustration and tossed the dress to the bed and walked back toward the open balcony doors. She squinted slightly as she looked out in the direction of the palace, knowing that Loki was there. She had gotten word Loki, Thor and the others had returned a few days prior and Loki had been badly injured. She didn't know the extent his injury and it was driving her insane. She wanted and needed to know he was okay, but no one would tell her. Normally young women were thinking about their future with their husband and final wedding preparations the night before they got married, not worrying about the one man they couldn't be with.

As she stepped out further onto the balcony, she closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind. All she wanted was some peace but her thoughts were antagonizing her incessantly. She walked up to the marble railing and placed her hands on it, taking in the sensation of its coolness. Sigyn stayed like that for a while until she suddenly felt something grab her hand. She yelped and opened her eyes, peering down at the most wonderful sight.

Loki was clinging to a baluster with one hand and the other hand was obviously holding onto Sigyn's. On instinct, she reached out and grabbed his other hand to help him up and as spry as a gazelle, he pulled himself and swung over the balustrade, landing quietly before her.

They both just stood there, staring at each other for a moment, taking in the sight of one another; a wave of pure joy surging through their veins.

As a single tear formed in the corner of Sigyn's eye and began to roll down her face, Loki was quick to wipe if away before cupping the back of her neck with one hand and pulling her into a kiss without any warning at all.

Not that Sigyn minded one iota.

She allowed him to encircle his arms completely around her and hold her tightly to him as their kiss deepened. It was like they were two starving creatures finally thrown a scrap of food and were fighting over it. Their breathing became ragged as they tried to maintain some sense of self-control and when they were able to pull apart, Sigyn gripped his shoulders firmly.

"Inside, so no one sees you standing here with me," she whispered, shoving him back into her bed chamber and quickly shutting the balcony doors behind her.

She held the door handles behind her back and just stood there for a moment, still trying to recover from their searing kiss. The lust in her eyes was evident and he casually sauntered up to her and returned to the same gesture of pulling her in to devour her mouth. She released the handles and clamored to grip at his face as he threw his arms about her waist, twirling her away from the doors and lifting her feet off the ground to carry her over to her bed. Without any decorum, he tossed her down and immediately climbed up over her, his knees between her legs and the palms of his hands on either side of her shoulders. Before he lowered his body down, he caught sight of the dress beside them and ceased all movement.

"Is that what I think it is?" he asked in a shaky breath.

Sigyn didn't need to bother looking where he was looking. She knew. "Yes," she answered. "My mother gave it to me. She wore it when she married my father, now I am to wear it." She sat up slightly, propping herself up with her elbows. "I gather you have heard about my betrothal to Theoric of Vanaheim."

"Unfortunately."

"He is a good man," she remarked, then brought a hand up to cup the side of his face and force him to look her in the eye. "But he is not you."

Loki smirked, despite himself. "Yes, there is no one quite like me."

Sigyn smirked as well. "No one at all."

"You are marrying him tomorrow, though," he said sadly. "I am going to lose you."

"Unfortunately," she repeated his previous comment.

"Unless…"

"Unless what?"

"Unless something happened that would allow you not to marry him, which could buy us time to convince my father to allow _us_ to marry instead…"

"And what, exactly, do you propose?"

Loki wouldn't respond, either because he didn't quite know or he knew exactly what he had in mind but wouldn't tell her. Instead, he responded by kissing her softly on the lips and nuzzling his nose against hers. She cooed at both gestures, letting her fingers work their way into his slightly disheveled black hair.

"As highly unlikely as it will be that something will prevent my marriage tomorrow to Theoric, can I ask you a favor?" Sigyn muttered against his lips.

"Anything."

"Will you give me away?"

Loki instantly pulled away and looked at her. "Give you away?" he repeated.

"Yes," she nodded. "I cannot have my father here, so I was going to have Iwaldi do it. My mother even suggested Odin in the event I wanted someone other than Iwaldi. But I can't think of anyone I'd rather give me away, even if it cannot be you I'm being given to."

Knitting his brow together, Loki swallowed back a lump in his throat and sat back on his legs. "You want me to hand you off to another man; another man who will bed you and give you children?" A dull ache was beginning to form in the pit of his chest.

"Would you rather not be present at all? Ignore the fact that your father, the All-father, has promised me to someone else? How do we go against that? Who are we to go against his behests?"

"I guess we will just have to wait and see."

Loki slid off the bed and stood up, causing Sigyn to sit up with questioning eyes.

"What is on your mind, Loki?"

"Nothing, everything," he said, moving toward the balcony doors.

"Are you not staying?"

"I would love nothing more, my darling Sigyn; but there are certain matters to which I must attend before your big day."

"Which matters would those be?" she questioned, getting up and walking over to him.

"Never you mind." He placed hand upon her waist and a kiss upon her lips. "Get some rest. I will see you tomorrow."

As he reached for the doors and turned the handles, Sigyn sidled up beside him. "Does that mean you will give me away?"

"No, I'm sorry," he apologized. "I will never give you away for you are and always will be mine." Loki looked upon her, his eyes smoldering; clearly expressing his desire to have her for himself.

Reaching up to grip the sides of his face, Sigyn kissed him once more before he stole out of her bed chamber and out onto the balcony. She closed the doors behind him, not bothering to watch him climb over the balustrade and sneak back toward the palace, alone in the night.

Sigyn turned and looked back at her bed, walking up to it and grabbing her wedding dress. She frowned and carried it over to her privacy screen, draping it over. She had no desire to try it on now and was loathing putting it on the following day; not because it wasn't a beautiful dress, but because she would be wearing it to marry a man she didn't love. As she stepped away from it and went back to her bed, she slipped out of her peignoir and cast it over the chair to her dressing table, leaving her in just her chemise. Climbing into bed, she pulled the blankets up to her chest and looked to the candles scattered around her room to provide light, and with a flick of her wrist, the flames were extinguished, save for the fire in the fireplace.

She closed her eyes, but she knew she would barely sleep that night, if at all.

* * *

The next morning, Sigyn was awoken by a horrible howl of anguish, causing her to sit straight up in bed and blink away the dreams she'd been having. Looking around to remind her of where she was, she fumbled to climb out of bed and reach for her peignoir which she pulled on as quickly as possible before running out of her bed chamber. She followed the sound of the howling and found her way to the first level of her home to where her mother was collapsed on the bottom steps of the grand staircase, clearly distraught and in tears. Iwaldi was with her and Sigyn's sisters were following suit to see what the ruckus was about.

Sigyn knelt down beside her mother and placed a hand upon her arm. "Mother, what is it? What has put you into such a state at this hour?"

Freya was too emotional to answer right away, so Iwaldi looked to his eldest stepdaughter. "It is Theoric," he spoke with severity in his voice.

Sigyn was confused as she furrowed her brow. "What about him?"

"He went out hunting very early this morning, just before the dawn. He was found only an hour ago, dead."

She blinked once, twice; unsure she heard the words right. "What do you mean he was found dead?"

"He was gored to death; some sort of wild beast must have attacked him. Palace officials are looking into it."

Sigyn looked at her mother who was taking the news horribly and Sigyn felt bad that she was not reacting at least almost similarly. She was saddened by this news, for sure, and she began to shed tears for Theoric. He had been a very wonderful man; very kind and sweet and honorable. Sigyn had felt nothing more for him than a friendship. Sure, he was handsome enough, but there was nothing about him that screamed undying affection and devotion toward him.

Theoric had been killed by a wild animal in the wee hours of the morning, hunting before their wedding, which was not at all strange. Many Asgardian men took part in such a activity the mornings of their nuptials. It just struck Sigyn funny at the perfect timing.

Loki would be pleased to know something had indeed happened to allow them time to convince Odin to allow them to marry instead.

Outwardly, Sigyn embraced her mother and shed some more tears with her, but inwardly, she was smiling at being released from having to marry another.


	11. So Close, So Far Away

Instead of a wedding celebration, there was a funeral later in the day. The funeral pyre was built in the courtyard outside the palace; the royal family, Sigyn and her family, most noble families and of course Theoric's family were present as they stood around Theoric's body, resting eternally atop the pyre. He was dressed in fine clothes; his arms folded over his chest with a sword under his hands as a symbol that he had been a warrior for a good part of his life. Several of his belongings were placed around him; a few handheld weapons, a book he cherished, minor trinkets and even food. His mother stepped forward, tearless and solemn, placing an orchid flower upon her deceased son's chest. Sigyn stepped forth as well, holding her own orchid and doing the same. She would've been his bride that very day so it was not strange for her to take part in such a gesture. Had he died the morning after their wedding, she would've been his widow; instead she was just the woman who would've been his wife.

Loki was standing across the pyre from Sigyn, who stood with her immediate family and Theoric's; Loki stood with Odin, Frigga and Thor. His hands were clasped together in front of him, his eyes were cast downward and his face void of expression as Theoric's father stepped forth with a torch set the pyre alight. Walking around, setting the kindling on fire on various spots, all stood quietly as the blaze gradually sprang forth.

The warmth of the flames could be felt on the faces of those closest to the fire and as they licked upward, Loki lifted his gaze and stared across to Sigyn.

_How are you doing, dear Sigyn?_ He telepathically called out to her.

She brought her gaze upward and locked eyes with him. _I am saddened, but I am fine._

_When I hoped something would happen, I could have never imagined it would be his death_, Loki alleged. _It was a terrible twist of fate and, for what it is worth, I am sorry, so sorry, for your loss._

_Your condolences are unnecessary, but appreciated_, she responded, just as her mother gripped her hand and gave a squeeze. She looked at her mother who tried to smile, albeit teary-eyed, back at her. Sigyn simply gave a quick but rueful smile and cast a quick glance back over to Loki, completely ignoring the blazing pyre between them. I will be removing myself to my chambers for the next seven days until the funeral feast. I will not be taking visitors until then. I might not have been Theoric's widow, but I owe him that much. He was a good man to me in the short time we were betrothed.

_I understand_. Loki looked at the base of the pyre, pursing his lips slightly.

_But, afterward…_

Sigyn's voice in his mind brought his attention back up to her. _What of it?_ He inquired.

_I wish for you to visit me._

A tiny smirk appeared at the corner of Loki's mouth. Blink and you would've missed it. _You do not need to ask me twice._

* * *

Exactly seven days later, all were gathered in the palace's dining room for a fine feast in honor of the fallen Theoric. It was a rather delightful gathering filled with food, drink and general merriment; all to celebrate a life and to no longer mourn a death. Odin was seated at the head of the exceptionally long table and Frigga at his left. Theoric's parents sat to the right of Odin, followed by Thor and Loki on the same side of the table as their mother while Sigyn sat beside Theoric's mother, and then her own mother and remaining family members to her right. It was more than a little awkward, sitting so close to Theoric's mother while Loki sat directly across from her; his foot occasionally nudging against hers under the table. She had Theoric's mother's ear the entire time; she was clinging to Sigyn as the last piece of her son, as she and her husband had not been blessed with any other children.

Because of their previous confrontation with Odin months earlier after what happened in the cavern, this had been the first time Loki and Sigyn were seen in public this near to one another. They both knew only his parents were obviously in the know as to what happened, and her mother and stepfather might've been told; the latter, though, they weren't sure of. Thor seemed blissfully unaware still as he made jovial banter with his dear cousin Sigyn, even nudging Loki with a laugh and a mouthful of food, as he brought up some random childhood memory.

Loki and Sigyn couldn't have a proper conversation alone, except for mind to mind, but that was fine. It was like pulling off some magnificent scheme right under everyone's noses.

_You are finished with your week of mourning, yes_? He inquired, making sure.

_Yes. I gave it seven days. The only visitors I accepted were Theoric's mother and father._

_How did that go?_

_It was awkward. She holds to me as if I were her daughter now. It is too much pressure._

_Well, soon she will move on, one hopes._

_Yes, one does._ She braved a smirk his way and even went as far as to stretch her leg out to press her foot against his shin and work her way up. The table was too wide for her to reach further, but it did the trick sure enough. She caught the way he squirmed a little, and then reached his hand under the table to hold her foot for a brief moment.

_Shall I visit you later?_ He asked, holding his goblet to his mouth and staring at the wine within.

_You had better._

Finally, Loki dared a glance up at Sigyn that lasted longer than it typically should have. She gave a tilt of her head and flashed him the faintest smirk. Mercy, she loved him. If she had her way, she would stare at him all evening long, but with his father a few feet away, it was not an option, unfortunately. So, they continued to make silent conversation with each other during the remainder of the feast while verbal conversations floated all around them and theirs went unheard and unnoticed.

* * *

Several hours later, when the funeral celebration had ended and those partaking in the festivity had made their ways home, Loki was in his bed chamber preparing to sneak out to meet Sigyn. He was inspecting his appearance in a mirror for a moment when there was a rapping at his door. Knowing if he didn't answer it, suspicion would be raised, he walked toward the door and swung it open with irritation.

"What is it?" he demanded, finding himself staring at two palace guards. His narrowed his gaze upon them; no idea why they would be at his chamber door at this hour.

"The All-Father requests an audience with you, Prince Loki," one of the guards spoke.

Loki pursed his lips together and swallowed back a small lump in his throat. "And he needed two guards to tell me this? Would one not suffice?"

"We are to escort you."

His nerves began to dance. "Escort me?" he repeated. He felt the need to retaliate with some condescending response, to belittle the guards in some way to mask his nerves and curiousness. But he did nothing of the sort. He reigned in that need simply nodded to them. "Very well. _Escort_ me," he remarked; slightly mocking.

He stepped out into the hall and walked ahead of the guards who quickly flanked behind him. Soon, the boots he wore echoed off the walls of the throne room and rounded to stand before his father who was seated quite comfortably and even had an air of aloofness about him. Loki couldn't help but wonder if this was merely a social call of sorts between father and son rather than a serious matter.

Odin nodded to the guards. "Thank you. You may go." Fists to their chest, they bowed their heads and removed themselves from the throne room, leaving just Odin and Loki. And all at once, the air got heavy. Odin leaned forward. "I will ask you just once, my son," he began. "Were you in any way involved with the death of Theoric?"

Loki immediately scoffed at the question. "What? How can you ask such a thing of me?"

"Because I find it quite convenient and strange that Theoric, a noted warrior and hunter was killed by a wild beast, while hunting, the day he was to wed Sigyn, a woman you have already claimed to love. And what is more, this wild beast eludes us still, as if it simply…disappeared."

"And again, I ask, how you can ask such a thing of me? Just because I love Sigyn, the man she was betrothed to was killed, and your guards are inept at finding the beast responsible, it is automatically my fault? Can I do nothing right, father?"

"You are twisting my words, Loki."

"No, I'm not. You are insinuating your own son is responsible for another's untimely demise. You're basically calling me a murderer."

"I am doing no such thing."

"Yes, you are, and I resent it. I have been obedient in your demands that I go off and play warrior with Thor and the others. I have sat idly by while you betrothed my love to another. I have not even had a minute alone with her since you first sent me off months ago. I have done everything you asked and more and I come home, only to have you assume I am a killer."

"I have not assumed you a murderer or a killer. I have asked you if you were in any way involved. Did you scare the beast, did you lure it to where Theoric was killed, or have you dispensed with it? These are the questions I am requiring you answer."

"No, I did none of those things. I, Loki Odinson, prince of Asgard, did not have anything to do with the death of Theoric of Vanaheim," Loki sputtered bitterly, glowering at his father. "I have answered your questions. Now may I retire to my chambers for the night or are there more things you would like to ask me. Is there a goblet that has gone missing from the kitchen you think I might know the location of?"

"Watch your tongue, boy." Odin's tone wasn't as serious as he sat back in his throne. He looked upon his youngest and sighed. "Off with you then."

Loki bowed his head. "Thank you, father. I bid you goodnight."

Before Loki could leave, Odin spoke up once more. "My son…"

The dark-haired prince turned and looked sideways at his father, but with eyes cast downward. "Yes?"

"Thor leaves in the morning with Lady Sif and the Warriors Three for Muspelheim. I would have you join them again."

Loki hesitated. A part of him was happy his father wanted him included in whatever it was Thor was involved with, but the other part of him was angry for being told what to do as if he were still but a child. "Is that a request or a demand?"

"Well, I suppose I cannot force you to go. You have proved your worth as a warrior with the others these last several months abroad. However, it would make me more proud to see both my sons, side by side, in such endeavors more often."

_Good guilt trip, Odin_, Loki thought, knitting his brow together. "If I go, may I be permitted to see Sigyn as freely as I want when I return?"

"When you return, we shall discuss it then."

_It is better than nothing_, he supposed. Loki looked briefly at his father. "Very well. I shall join my brother once more."

Odin smiled. "I am glad to hear you say so."

_Of course you are_, Loki said to himself, and then walked away.

* * *

Sigyn was sitting at her dressing table with her peignoir open; underneath the top of her chemise was unlaced enough to reveal the tops of her breasts. She pinched her cheeks to give them a bit more color and she ran her brush through her hair a few more times. Glancing at her reflection, she pressed her lips together, trying to contain the smile that was due to expecting Loki to arrive soon. She could almost feel her skin tingling from the anticipation his presence would be.

"Is all your primping for me?"

Sigyn turned around and found Loki leaning against her bedpost. She furrowed her brow in confusion, looked to her closed balcony doors and then back at him. "How did you get in?" she stood up and took a few steps closer to him.

Loki frowned. "I'm not really here."

She narrowed her eyes, squinting slightly in the process. "You look very much here to me," she replied with a smirk. "I'm pretty sure I'm not imagining you."

"No, you're not imagining me, and I am here, but not here."

Realization hit her like a brick. "This is a double." She gestured to him. "How come you've sent a double?"

"I couldn't get away," he turned his head and pulled himself away from the bedpost, clasping his hands together as he walked closer to her. His body flickered for a brief second, reinforcing his claim at not being there. "My father had need of my presence and he has requested I join Thor again."

Sigyn inhaled a shaky breath. She was longing for him to be here with her. She wanted to feel his touch again. She hated having to wait to be together with him, though she would do it regardless. "When do you leave?"

"In the morning."

"Where to this time?"

"Muspelheim."

"The realm of the fire giants?" she frowned. "What could Odin possibly need to send you and the others there for? It is not as if Surtur is threatening war. Odin had him imprisoned in the center of Midgard centuries ago."

"I do not know what our mission will entail. I'm usually left in the dark in these matters until after we've arrived," Loki explained. "I shall try to visit you, like I am now, whenever I can manage it."

"Don't." He seemed caught off guard by her response. "You will need your focus. I do not want to be the reason you were off your game. I don't want you returning home to Asgard wounded again or worse, dead, because your mind was literally elsewhere with me. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself."

Sigyn walked up to him and went to touch him, despite knowing he was incorporeal at the moment. And sure enough, her hand passed straight through him the moment she would've made contact with his chest. Despite it, however, Loki flickered, but not in the usual way. His eyes closed and a smile appeared on his face.

"I felt that," he murmured. He looked right at her. "It was like a breeze passed through me." He narrowed his own gaze and let out a small, incredulous chuckle. "I suppose it means we are truly connected."

Sigyn snickered. "Obviously."

Curious, Loki reached a hand out and tried touching Sigyn's face. His fingers seemed to disappear against her skin but she shuddered nonetheless and the smile that appeared on her lips suggested his gesture wasn't a complete failure.

"That was amazing," she replied. "It was like static shock."

Loki tilted his head, impressed. "I guess not being one hundred percent with you isn't all bad." Suddenly, his gaze went blank; his eyes void of any emotion as he stood stock still. After a quick moment, he snapped back to reality. "Someone is at my chamber door. I must go."

"Oh, okay," Sigyn nodded. "I suppose I shall see you when you return from this next jaunt."

"Take care, my darling. My love."

"You do the same."

And with that, Loki was gone.

* * *

The mission to Muspelheim wasn't the only mission Loki was sent on with Thor and the others. They were sent here and there on one excursion after another. Mere months passed on Asgard, but it could've been years as far as Sigyn was concerned. She had become lonely. The last time Loki was gone, at least she had a betrothal to focus on; even if it wasn't the betrothal she wanted. It was something that occupied her time. This time, she had no one to spend any time with; not Loki, not even Sif or Brunhilde.

Her sisters were getting older, but they were not on the same level as her, maturity wise. Her mother was occupied with other things and had returned to not having the time to be bothered by her eldest. With no other betrothal on the horizon, what was the point in pretense anymore? All Sigyn could do was sit in her chambers all day long, reading books or writing in her journal, or going for walks. Once in a while she took one of her horses out of the stables and went for long rides in the meadows beyond the city walls. All the while, though, she was lost in her own thoughts, memories and daydreams.

Eventually, she began to correlate how her loneliness was probably in some way similar to what her father must be feeling wherever he was. Granted, she was surrounded by her own kind on a daily basis, and he didn't, but what did that mean to her if those that mattered most to her weren't near at all?

She would catch herself daydreaming about moments from her childhood when her father would lift her high above his head, pretending she was flying, or throwing her up in the air and catching her. She remembered being very young and climbing onto his back, or sitting within his arms while he recounted stories of battles he had participated in alongside his brothers Odin and Vili; even his own childhood. Sigyn could still remember the sound of his heartbeat in his chest as she rested against him, as well as his scent when he held her and hugged her. She remembered the way she would bury her face in his neck when she cried because one of the boys teased her and his hair would tickle her skin.

All these memories, the more she thought on them, began to make her heart ache for her father. She never realized just how badly she had missed him in the many, many years he had been gone. All the memories they could've had together as father and daughter up to this point, stolen, all because of whatever treasonous deed her father Lodur had done that Odin had declared was done to him and the realm.

It just about turned her stomach. Lodur was Odin's brother, how could he just send him away? Why couldn't he simply been imprisoned in Asgard. At least then she could visit him and he could've seen how she had grown from a little girl into a woman.

She watched her sisters, who no longer had their own father in the same household but had the ability to see him if they chose to. Jealousy burned in her heart and when her mother actually took a moment to ask her if she was okay, she fumed and stormed off like she did when she was her sisters' age. What's worse is that she didn't have Loki readily available to talk to about what she was feeling.

A few weeks later, the feelings about needing to see her father again hadn't diminished in the slightest. It was one evening, after Frigga had invited Freya and her family to join them for dinner, that Sigyn approached Odin and asked to have a word with him in private.

Sensing the urgency in her voice, the All-Father acquiesced; leading her to one of his private chambers meant for receiving emissaries from the other realms, occasions such as this with family and chose not to have any possibility of prying eyes or ears listening in. He stepped aside to allow her to enter first; her hands folded in front of her and her eyes taking in the room. She had never been inside this particular room before and was impressed by its stateliness; not that she expected anything less from a king.

Odin closed the door behind them; the glow of firelight shining in his golden eye patch. His only eye, bright and blue, looked upon his niece. "What is it you needed to speak to me about, my niece?"

She treaded carefully. She always had around him. Uncle or not, he was still her king, and the two of them had never been close as most family members tended to be. Her jaw fixed, she held her head high; a gesture he noted and respected. She was nothing if not his kin.

"It is in regard to my father," she finally spoke.

"My brother Ve," Odin nodded.

"Lodur," she corrected. "He preferred Lodur."

"Yes, I suppose he did."

Sigyn narrowed her gaze. "Why is it you speak of him in the past tense, All-Father; as if he were dead? He is not, is he?"

"No, he is very much alive, I am happy to report."

"Where is he? What realm was he sent to upon his banishment from Asgard?"

Odin was the one to narrow his gaze this time. "What has inspired such curiosity, dear girl?"

"He is my father, I am his only child. I should know where he is." Tears formed at her eyes, betraying the steely resolve she was trying to project. "I have gone so long without him in my life. He has missed many a milestone. He didn't get to see me grow up or see me successfully complete training as a shield maiden. Had Theoric not been killed, my father would have given me away. I only had him for a short time. Meanwhile, my sisters can revel in the fact that their father is merely a stone's throw away; available to their every beck and call."

"It was unfortunate the way things turned out so long ago. But the past is the past, my dear. There is no undoing it."

"But there are ways around it," she asserted. She stepped forward, her eyes imploring. "It doesn't matter what my father did. The specifics are unimportant to me now. What is important is that I never got to say goodbye. I was torn from his arms, never to look upon his face again."

"What are you asking, Sigyn?"

"I…" she hesitated, searching for the right way to word his request. She looked away for a moment, wiping away one of the tears that threatened to fall. When she looked back at him, she held his gaze and strove to keep it from wavering. "I wish to see him."

"Not possible." The answer was quick, without consideration.

"Of course it is possible," she insisted.

"He was banished for treason. To interact with him would be fraternizing with an enemy of the state."

"How is it any different than a family member visiting a loved one, imprisoned in a cell? Wherever he was sent is simply his cell. I am his daughter. How can it be impossible for me to see him?"

"I made an edict, upon his banishment, that any association with him following his removal from this realm would be looked upon as treason in itself; thus subject to its own consequences."

"But, uncle…" she risked informality. "He is my father."

Odin shook his head. "He is a traitor!" he shouted.

"He is your brother," she retaliated, trying to reason. Her brow was knitted in heartache and she held her hands up, pressing her palms together as if in prayer.

"Thereof which makes his betrayal that more heartbreaking."

"Please, reconsider your edict. Allow a loophole. Allow me to see him." She approached him, taking a few steps closer. "Let me visit him, just once, so I may see with my own eyes that he is alright. Merely telling me so does nothing to soothe my mind."

"Then I am afraid your mind is fodder for unrest."

"Uncle—"

"I am your king!" he cut her off. "You will kindly know your place."

Sigyn bowed her head. "My apologies, All-Father. I mean no disrespect." Slowly, she looked up at him through her eyebrows.

"This conversation is finished."

Steadying her breath, she somehow managed to maintain her composure and not allow herself to break and show any further emotion; hardening herself against him. "Will you not tell me where he is, at least?" she asked as he opened the chamber door for her to exit.

He stopped but didn't look at her. "Midgard."

Sigyn allowed the word to seep into her mind, pocketing it away like a small animal storing away its food for a rainy day. "Thank you." She fixed her jaw once more, her lips pursed together in a firm line. With a quick bow of her head out of respect that he was certainly her king before he was her uncle, she slipped from the room.

She kept the same composure as she made her way to the parlor where Frigga, Freya, Iwaldi and Sigyn's sisters were immersed in conversation with after-dinner beverages and snacks being served to them by the wait staff. She walked straight up to her mother and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Freya looked up and smiled. "Oh, hello, dear. How went your conversation with your uncle?"

"My conversation with my king went well."

"Did you get to ask him what you wanted?"

"I asked my questions, I received his answers." Her face remained stony and only Frigga seemed to notice the heartache oozing from Sigyn's eyes. "I am feeling rather tired. I think I would like to head home and turn in for the night, if that is alright with you, mother?"

"Of course, dear. Have our carriage take you, but make sure to send it back."

"Yes, mother." Sigyn looked to her aunt and queen. "Thank you for a lovely evening, dear aunt. My regards to the palace cooks for preparing such a fine meal as usual."

Frigga smiled sweetly and stood up to embrace her niece, kissing her on the cheek. "I shall pass the regards along. I am glad you enjoyed it," she responded gracefully. "I hope you get the rest you require."

"I shall, thank you." Sigyn curtsied and waved goodbye to the others before exiting the parlor.

Making her way to the entrance hall of the palace, she asked the footman to bring round her carriage and when it was arrived from the carriage house, she was helped up into it. Sigyn sat back as the footman closed the door for her and she stared out its window as the carriage driver got them moving, and the moment she knew she had the privacy to do so, she let her resolve fade away as a resonating sob racked within her chest.


	12. Fated

**A/N: This chapter is a labor of love, and as you read it, that is said with no pun intended. Please R&R.**

* * *

The brothers Odinson had returned.

They had been successful in their adventures to the other realms, and even encountered a pack of bildgesnipe again. Loki even came out on top in the latter exploit; he had grabbed up Sif's sword, which she had accidentally dropped, and used it to strike one of the beasts straight into the heart and, upon pulling it out, severed the head clean off. When he returned to Asgard with his brother, Sif and the Warriors Three, he presented the head to his father, which Odin accepted with plans to mount it on a wall plaque and hang it up in his one if his private chambers.

Loki was still quite intrigued by the beast's antlers; the smooth sleekness that was actually quite lovely in compared with the rest of the creature. He had to remember to remove just those the next time he had the opportunity to slay a bildgesnipe and keep them for himself.

He wasn't even home hours, stretched out on a chaise lounge with one leg hanging over the edge, when his mother approached with a smile dancing on her lips. They had already embraced upon his and Thor's initial arrival and exchanged pleasantries. This time it seemed the queen of the realm had something to tell him; information she didn't have earlier. Narrowing his eyes, he sat up.

"Mother," he greeted.

Frigga walked up to him and leaned forward to swat at his outstretched leg so that she could sit beside him, "I have pleasing news for you, but it comes with warnings of treading carefully."

Perplexed, Loki raised his brow. "What news?"

"Your father is granting you free reign to resume your friendship with Sigyn, but under the condition you maintain certain boundaries." She placed her hand on his leg and leaned closer to speak. "I am sure you know of what boundaries I mean."

Loki frowned. "Of course," he lied. "I understand."

"If it were up to me, I would have given you two my blessing."

"You would have?" he asked, curiously. "Would you have seriously stood up to father or forced him to reconsider?"

"Had I the power to make that decision, yes, I would have."

Loki wasn't completely sold on it. He just looked at his mother, then down at his lap. "Well, for what it's worth, I appreciate your support in the matter."

Frigga raised her hand to the side of her youngest son's face, causing his green eyes to focus slightly upon the gesture. "There is another matter…"

Loki quirked his brow. "Oh?"

"It's about Sigyn." Seeing his posture straightening and his concern become greatly obvious, she tried to express an assuring smile. "It is nothing dire."

He was confused. "Then what is the matter with Sigyn, mother? Please tell me now." He hadn't meant to sound as urgently as he did.

Frigga hesitated momentarily with how to proceed. "I think it would be best if it came from her, not me."

His lips parted slightly, Loki stood up and didn't even bother saying anything further to his mother. He didn't even care that she had said the matter wasn't dire. All that did matter was that he needed to see Sigyn, immediately. The bottoms of his boots barely made a sound as he turned his gait into a brisk pace. The moment he was outside the palace walls, he made his way to the carriage house and had the stable boy get his horse for him. He grabbed the reins as soon as he was on top and took off like a bat out of hell. Through the roads within the city of Asgard, Loki made remarkable time, without taking his usual shortcuts down walking paths.

When he reached Sigyn's home, he rode his horse around to the stables there and dismounted as soon a stable boy approached, wondering who was making such a commotion on horseback. Loki handed over the reins and smirked inwardly at the way the stable boy quickly bowed his head when he realized who Loki was. He held a finger up to his lips to silence the boy so his arrival could be kept as much on the down low as possible. Gathering himself, he turned and made his way up to the manor; heading inside via the servants' entrance. Climbing the trellis below Sigyn's balcony aside, this was one of the few ways Loki had relied on getting to her see her in the past.

Loki took the stairs two at a time, as silently as the grave. He hugged the walls like a cat in the dark, eventually happening upon the wing of the estate he knew Sigyn's bed chamber to be located; along with that of her sisters' bed chambers, as well. Tiptoeing, he reached her door but, instead of knocking, he leaned his forehead against it and closed his eyes.

Inside the room, Sigyn was sitting, cross-legged on the floor, braiding flowers together to make a wreath. The hair on her arms and the back of her neck began to stand on end as she sensed she was not completely alone. There was no one but her inside her room and her curiosity piqued, she set the wreath-in-progress aside, brushed the extra floral bits off her lap and stood up. Sigyn held a hand out into the air before her and felt a tingling sensation the closer she moved toward her door. Realizing what it meant, her eyes began to lighten and a smile tugged her lips upward. She rushed to the door and opened it wide.

There before her, Loki stood; leaning against the door frame and looking down at her as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. She was completely silent as she grabbed his arm and pulled him inside, shutting the door behind them. Sigyn spun around and pressed her back up against the door before letting her eyes fall upon him and when they finally did, she launched herself at him; throwing her arms around him. Swiftly he caught her and lifted her up off her feet and, without hesitating, their lips found each other as if the flood gates had opened up. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her body as close against his as possible.

"Loki," she mumbled his name into his mouth. Slowly, she raised her hands to the sides of his face and pulled hers back enough to stare properly at him; both of them just looking into each other's eyes.

He knitted his brow together and placed a kiss on her forehead before speaking. "My mother said there is something about you that she felt should come from you. She seemed sad as she mentioned your name. What is wrong?" He thumbed her jaw. "Please tell me."

Sigyn frowned. "You were sent off again, which I accepted, but I was lonely. I had no one I truly cared about to talk to. You were gone longer than I thought you would be gone for and I began to think a great many things and all my thoughts came down to the same thing."

"Which was?"

"My father, how much I crave to have him in my life."

"But he's banished. He cannot come back."

"I know that; that he cannot come back _here_, but nothing was ever said that I couldn't go to _him_." She caught the curious look Loki shot her. She stepped away from him and walked over to her bed on which she sank down upon. Her hands folded in her lap, she looked back at him. "I went to your father one evening. Our families were having dinner together while you and Thor were gone. I spoke with him in private after the meal, pleading my case about seeing my father again."

"What was the answer?"

"No." Sigyn sighed and cast her gaze down at her lap. "He shot me down; wouldn't really hear me out. So, I went to ask him again a couple of weeks ago, hoping I could convince him otherwise. Again, I got the same answer. He wouldn't even let me finish talking. He cut me off mid-sentence and sent me away like some simpleton." Tears began to sting her eyes and anger caused her lips to twitch as she pursed them firmly together.

Loki watched as a fire began to burn within her. He could see that by talking about this that it was causing her to seethe. "Why would my mother seem so worried about you, though, other than the matter between you and my father?"

Sigyn smirked bitterly. "Probably because I haven't left this room in the last two weeks," she answered. "I have even taken my meals here and have denied what little visitors I get on a regular basis. Word about it has probably gotten back to your mother through mine. Valhalla knows my mother loves a bit of gossip, even if it _is_ about me from time to time."

"I thought you and your mother were on better terms these days?" he asked, momentarily bypassing her self-induced seclusion, and taking a seat beside her on the bed.

"We were, but ever since Theoric died, it feels like she gave up on being my mother again." Sigyn shrugged. "It's nothing I wasn't already used to."

Feeling the pang in his chest that Sigyn felt in hers, sensing her sadness, he instinctively took her hand in his, running his thumb over her knuckles. "Well, you have me."

Sigyn turned her head and looked up at him with a lovingly appreciative smile. "And every day I give thanks for that."

Loki turned his body, bringing a hand behind her back and snaking it around to her waist. He lowered his head to kiss her and reveled in her returning the gesture quite readily. When she suddenly ended the kiss, he was perplexed at first until she placed a hand on his chest and casually pushed him back onto the bed until he was laying down with his legs dangling over the edge. He stared up at her as she swiveled around until she was kneeling with her legs on either side of his waist. When Sigyn lowered her body onto his lap and leaned forward, Loki felt his skin begin to flush. He bit his lip at the slightest movement she made against him, inciting his lower…_region_. With almost a growl, he quickly gripped her face in his hands and brought her face down to crush their lips together.

As their tongues dueled, Loki allowed his hands to move away from her face and roam down her body, wanting to feel every inch of her. His fingers danced along every one of her curves, eliciting small mewls from between her lips, and eventually his thumbs hooked under the fabric of her dress before slowly lifting it up over her hips.

Sigyn ceased all movement upon his gesture. She sat upright and while his hands rested on the spot where her hips met her thighs. She reached her arms around to untie the laces behind her back, but struggled. When he noticed this, Loki smirked and a second version of him appeared behind her to take over the task of undoing the laces of her dress for her.

She cocked her head and smiled, knowingly. "Why aren't I surprised?"

Loki didn't answer. As soon as the laces were undone and the dress sagged slightly against her, he disappeared his doppelgänger and sat up enough so that he could grip the shoulders of her dress and pull the material down over her chest. The entirety of the dress was pooled around her waist, leaving only the thin material of her chemise. With the grace of a bird in flight, Loki wrapped his arms around her waist and flipped her over onto the bed so that she was the one lying down. He yanked the remainder of dress down her legs and let it drop to the floor below before kneeling above her and practically ripping at his own jacket and pulling it off. He stopped long enough to get off the bed and stand up so he could remove his tunic as well, tossing it over his shoulder without a care.

With a devil-may-care grin plastered upon her face, Sigyn scooted down toward the edge of the bed and reached her hands out to grab onto the waist of his pants and force him closer between her legs. Both their heartbeats were pounding so fast inside their chests that they echoed in their respective eardrums.

"Loki," she whispered.

Sigyn placed a hand behind his neck and he took the bait. He lowered his body down onto hers while trying to finagle her out of her chemise with deft fingers. And then he stopped. He let his eyes take in her form, completely bare to him for the first time. He drank in every inch of her; his lips parting with anticipation.

"You're beautiful," he spoke in a hushed tone, as if he had just happened upon a wonderful secret.

"I only feel that way with you," she replied, beckoning for him to come back down to her level. Sigyn wrapped her arms around his shoulders and her legs around his waist as she accepted his mouth upon hers once more.

His kisses made her feel like she had died and gone to Valhalla; the sensation he sent through her body was incandescent. She loved feeling his bare chest rubbing against the tautness of her nipples, exciting the rest of her to no end and causing her to crave all of him, immediately, without hesitation. As he kissed his way down her neck, leaving small love bites in his wake, he dropped his mouth to her precious mounds and his subsequent ministrations made her toss her head further back against her mattress and close her eyes tight. She began to move underneath him as her skin became more and more flushed with desire for him; causing her to arch her back and grind against his evident erection.

Loki took the hint.

He stopped what he was doing to unbutton his pants, but Sigyn was the one to finish the job. She placed her toes into the waist of his pants and pulled them down over his narrow hips; allowing his manhood its freedom.

She may not have ever lain with a man before, and was therefore naïve in those ways, but instinct proved most helpful. Her body told her what needed to happen and how. She slowly and demurely lay back onto the bed, pushing herself up closer to rest amongst her pillows while Loki crept after her and came to rest between her legs.

The slightest touch of his erection against her opening sent mutual shivers down their spines. He hooked one hand under her knee, as she returned her legs around his waist; her feet crossing just under his ass, forcing him to push further against her.

"I feel like I've waited forever for this," Sigyn mumbled against his mouth when he kissed her just then.

"And now that forever has come and gone," he muttered. "No more waiting." But, before he went forward with taking her innocence, he looked her in the eye, waiting for the go-ahead.

_What are you waiting for?_ She asked him, telepathically.

Loki smirked, and pushed himself in slowly, claiming her mouth with his to muffle her initial cries. He pulled out halfway, damn near shuddering as he did so. Again, he pushed in; this time, further. Loki repeated the process, slowly, for a few moments, until he felt her give way to the pain and made ample room for pleasure to start flowing in. He increased his speed, and began pushing deeper and deeper until he hit her core; both their arms clinging frantically about each other as they rocked back and forth like branches of a tree in a torrential rainstorm.

Her mews and whimpers of pleasure were evenly matched by his gasps and groans, and all was usually muffled by their relentless kissing.

"Oh, mercy…_oh_…oh, Loki…" she cried out.

Loki pressed his forehead into the crook of her neck, trailing his tongue along her collar bone. He never ceased his thrusts inside her, as the ball of pressure began to build at the base of his spine, like a delicious fire being sparked to life by pieces of flint. When he heard her whimpering get more short and ragged, he knew she was close to her climax. The excitement of finally making love to her after the frustration of not being able properly be in her presence for what felt like forever, was too much. He couldn't contain the orgasm that was ready to tear through him any longer. When he came inside her, his whole body became racked with tiny spasms and a vision of stars splayed before his eyes as a dying whimper of his own fell upon his lips which, in turn, fell upon Sigyn's. He wanted so badly to just fall against her body in a dead heap of contentment and ecstasy but he knew she still hadn't reached her peak. So, Loki foraged on; riding out his orgasm with several more thrusts, rolling his hips each time and eliciting high-pitched cries from the depths of her throat.

As her nails began to dig deep into his shoulder blades, he knew she was close. A few more rolling thrusts for good measure, and she had all but turned to goo. Her body began to quake beneath him as the white hot heat that had been building in her loins figuratively exploded forth, overcoming all her senses.

As the last remains of their orgasms began to die away and leave them to recover, Loki finally collapsed down onto her body, allowing his weight to pin her there. Basking in the glow of post-coitus, he rested his head upon her shoulder and she cradled him in her arms; kissing his forehead and stroking her fingers through his dark hair.

"I love you, Sigyn," he whispered.

"I love you more."

He lifted his head and smirked at her. "I love you most."

"Well, I love you…" she trailed, thinking. "Endlessly."

Loki laughed a little and placed a few kisses along her collar bone, her jugular notch, and up her neck until he found her lips once more; biting down on the lower one for good measure. His tongue grazed her teeth, seeking entrance into the cavern of her mouth and was met with her tongue; both hungry for even more of each other.

And, rather quickly, strong desire began to brew deep within them once again; each other's hips signaling another go.

"So soon?" Loki quipped.

Sigyn didn't bother to answer him verbally or mentally; she simply rolled him over so that she was on top, pinning him back against the bed. Her dark locks fell over her shoulders and over her breasts as she placed her hands on his chest while he instinctively gripped her hips with those long fingers of his.

The only answer he got was Sigyn biting down on her bottom lip and trying to keep herself from smiling at him too much.

* * *

That night, Loki and Sigyn had made love several more times before falling asleep in each other's arms. As day broke, however, he had to bid her adieu and return home to the palace, promising to meet with her again. She eventually returned to sleep, after letting her mind race with the intimate memories they'd just created. When she finally awoke for the day, she had her handmaid draw her bath and she luxuriated in it; her mind still elsewhere. The warm water and floral bath oils soothed her limbs which were happily sore from the night's events. After she got dressed, she took breakfast in her bedchamber again, feeling that if she joined her family for the meal, they would be able to tell what had transpired just by looking at the grin plastered to her face.

After a few more hours, Loki appeared in her room; but she knew it was a double. She felt it in the air the moment he arrived. He asked her to join him at the lake for lunch that afternoon; he was having the palace kitchen prepare a feast for the two of them. She accepted the invitation and dressed accordingly. And when she finally emerged from her rooms and her mother caught sight of her, she wasn't sure how to greet her daughter. Sigyn simply bypassed any pleasantries and stated she was going to the lake. No further information was needed, she felt.

She took her horse from the stables and rode him to the lakeside, tying his reins to a tree near the water's edge so that he could drink if he wanted. Loki appeared a few moments later, basket in hand, leading his own horse behind him. He greeted her with a kiss and they spoke no words as they sat down together and proceeded to eat the food prepared for them. Afterward, they laid back on the ground, staring up at the canopy the tree tops created over them. She snuggled closer to him after a while and they kissed some more before deciding to go for a swim.

As they swam up to each other, not knowing whether or not they were being watched by Heimdall or Odin's ravens, they threw caution to the wind and connected their bodies under the water. Sigyn sank down onto him, wrapping her legs about his waist while they kicked their feet to keep themselves afloat at the same time. They rocked their bodies against each other, building the friction until it could be contained no more. In the moment it was about to overtake them, Loki pulled them underneath the water's surface. Magic sparked from his fingertips, lighting up the darkened lake with a greenish blue glow around them. When they resurfaced for air, a wave of elation washed over them. Sigyn dropped her head onto his shoulder; the two of them simply hugging.

Later that evening, he snuck out of the palace and joined her in her bed once more; making love until the early hours of morning and either refusing to fall asleep.

This continued on for about a week until one evening, Loki proposed an idea. He knew the matter of her father still weighed heavily on her mind and he wanted to help her in any way he could; he wanted to make her happy. He suggested he go with her, to speak with Odin and plead her case once more. He thought that maybe his presence and support of her wish to see her father again would have some sway over his own father. Third time is a charm, he had stated.

So, the following morning, she met him at the palace, meeting in the throne room before the All-father, who sat most regally and rather imposing with Gungnir in his left hand.

Odin let his eye fall first upon his younger son, narrowing, before casting his gaze over to his niece. He hadn't bothered to use Huginn and Muninn to spy on them for him. He had also asked Heimdall to cast a blind eye to whatever might be going on. He already knew something would transpire just by simply allowing Loki and Sigyn to be alone in each other's company. Odin wasn't stupid. He didn't get this far in his very long life without knowing the signs of interminable love. He wanted to show his happiness for pair, but he had rules he set forth that would need to be enforced. Even if they didn't understand his reasons for doing so, it would be so.

"To what do I owe the honor of this meeting?" Odin questioned. His mind was telling him that they were probably going to ask him to allow them to marry, so he treaded carefully.

"Father, I am here to implore you to listen to Sigyn; to take to heart what she has to say and consider—"

Almost immediately, Odin cut his son off. He realized at once this conversation would not be about marriage. "We have had this discussion already, Sigyn, and you have been given by answer. Twice." He stared at his niece; his face firm.

Sigyn kept strong. "Yes, All-father, and I mean no disrespect, but I don't think you understand my plight, or how silly this all is." She bowed her head and then looked up at him; her gaze unfaltering and for a moment, it appeared as if Odin had shuddered, almost as if seeing a ghost.

For Odin, he saw the face of his long-since banished brother flash across Sigyn's. The defiance in her eyes was the same defiance Lodur had had in his at the time he tried to usurp the throne and didn't deny the deed upon his sentencing. "Your plight is imagined, dear girl," he announced, which felt like a slap in the face to Sigyn.

"Father," Loki spoke, knitting his brow in disbelief.

"My plight is _not_ imagined. It is real and deserves to be acknowledged. And I demand to be allowed to see my father."

Odin stood up and banged the bottom of Gungnir against the floor; the noise resounding in the throne room. "You _demand_?" he growled. "I am your king; you make no demands of me, foolish girl! I have strictly expressed my decision about you seeing your father. He is a traitor, thus an enemy of the realm. Fraternizing with him is forbidden."

"He is not an enemy to me!" Sigyn shouted, not even realizing she was doing it. "He is my father and I will see him if it is the last thing I do!"

Odin took a step forward and then down a step. Sigyn never swayed, but Loki reached out and held onto her arm as if trying to hint to her to rein herself in.

"If you go against me, niece, you better be prepared to face the consequences of such actions," the All-father threatened.

Tears were burning at Sigyn's corneas, her chin quivered but she held steadfast in her stance. She parted her lips to speak further but Loki gripped her arm tighter. She cast her eyes down at his hand and then looked up at him.

_Stop_, he spoke quietly in her mind. His eyes expressed worry. _Do not push him any further right now. I fear what may happen if you do._

_But he—_

_No. Just be silent. I will speak with him privately later._

Sigyn held Loki's gaze a moment longer before turning back to face Odin. "I will speak to you no more on this matter, my king." She bowed her head to Odin, crossing her right fist over her chest to her heart. The gesture was sarcastic, however.

In that moment, Odin ceased to be her king and her uncle. He was no more than a fool on a throne to her now.

Swiftly, she turned and began to walk away. Loki bowed to his father and walked off after Sigyn, following her to the outer chamber of the throne room. Both were silent the entire time until they made their way outside the palace walls. It wasn't until she were headed, by foot, in the direction of Sigyn's home, that she stopped walking and just sank to the ground, finally letting the tears spring forward.

Loki dropped down to her side and encircled his arms around her, hugging her tight; just assuring her that he was there for her no matter what.

* * *

That evening, Sigyn was seated on her balcony with her knees pulled up to her chest while she looked out at the sky above her that was scattered with stars and colorful, far-off nebulas. She had asked Loki to leave her alone for a few hours, claiming she just needed to sort through her thoughts. And when Loki finally appeared, once again as a double, she turned to look up at him with a rueful glimmer in her eyes.

"I wasn't sure how many hours of space you needed, exactly," he spoke.

"It's fine," she shrugged, dropping her legs and turning to face him properly. "To be honest, I always feel better when you're near." Sigyn stood up, reaching out to touch him and then remembered he wasn't physically there. "The only time I feel whole is when I'm with you."

Loki gave her a small, loving smile. "And I with you." With a nod of his head he gestured toward the direction of the lake they were so fond of. "Can you meet me at the cavern as soon as possible?"

"Now?" she questioned, furrowing her brow.

"Yes, now."

Sigyn considered, and then shrugged. "Yes, I suppose I can."

"Good," Loki grinned. "I have a surprise that will hopefully lift your spirits, even if only a little."

Sigyn smiled despite herself. "Very well. Go disappear and I will meet you shortly."

Loki winked and faded away, leaving Sigyn to shake her head; still smiling over how he really did make her feel better. Heading inside to her bed chamber, she grabbed several of her pillows and stuffed them accordingly under her blankets to give them impression of her sleeping soundly underneath, should her mother, sisters or handmaid grow nosey. Tying her hair back into a ponytail with a leather ribbon, she stepped back out onto the balcony and climbed over the balustrade; carefully lowering her body down by holding onto the marble balusters until she was dangling many feet above the ground. It was only a one-story drop and it would hardly hurt at all, so when she let go, she fell gracefully to her feet; bracing herself from falling forward by bending her knees and planting her hands on the ground before her.

Once she stood up, she darted for some shrubbery and hid from view of any servants that would be out and about around the grounds of the estate. In no time at all, she made her way to one of the smaller gates and let herself out, taking off into a sprint. A few minutes passed before she reached the woodland area surrounding the lake and, even in the dark of night, she could find her way along the path to the water's edge. She spotted a few items of clothing she knew belonged to Loki, namely his shoes and outer jacket, and she proceeded in removing her dress and her shoes so that she was standing there in only her chemise.

One step at a time, she waded into the water which was cooler in temperature in the night, and it reminded her of times gone by in her youth when she would go night swimming with Loki, Thor, Sif and the others. As she began to swim across the lake, she took note of how beautiful the Asgardian night sky look as it reflected upon the water, which rippled from her movements. When she made it to the boulders at the base of the waterfall, she pulled herself up; her skin slick from water, which made it only slightly harder to grip the stone. Carefully she stood up and pushed her body as close to the cliff wall so she could sidestep behind the flowing curtain of water and make her way into the cavern, and once she was inside, she turned around to peer at the rush of water. With it being nighttime, it was much darker therefore no sunlight to fracture off the water and reflect into the initial opening of the cavern like it had when she and Loki explored it the last time.

She had to go forward on instinct. She held her hands out in front of her as the darkness enveloped her, not able to rely on Loki's magically conjured torch. As she walked and walked, she stumbled only once, stepping on an errant stone. But eventually she was greeted by a certain amount of light at the end of the stony tunnel as she came upon the large, cavernous room where she had kissed Loki for the first time.

As she made her way, further into the cavernous room, she took note of the small fire that was built in the pit that had been discarded by someone else so very long ago. The makeshift bed was still there but it contained fresh linens and even some pillows that were colorful and pristine; clearly removed from somewhere in the palace. A few feet away, where several boulders were piled up, one such boulder had been turned into an altar of sorts. There were two lit candles, a golden bowl, a dagger and a clump of something else that Sigyn couldn't make out.

_Took you long enough_, came Loki's voice in her head.

"I got here as soon as—" she began to say but was cut off when Loki stepped out from the shadows and placed a finger upon her lips to hush her up.

_Don't speak out loud. In case anyone is listening in on us._

Sigyn narrowed her green eyes and scanned over to the altar_. What is all that?_

_It's for the ceremony._

_What ceremony?_

Loki took her hand in his and with his free hand, placed a wreath of flowers on top of her head. _Our marriage ceremony_, he informed.

Sigyn threw him a surprised look as he led her to the altar. _How…who is marrying us?_

As they stood parallel to the altar, facing each other, Loki smirked. _I am._

_You are?_

_Yes._ He grabbed the dagger off the altar and looked at Sigyn who looked a bit nervous_. I spoke to my father after I left you alone earlier. I attempted to bring up the matter of you seeing your father, but like he did with you, he shot it down and wouldn't hear me out. So I tried to speak to him about us…being together, as man and wife._

_And?_

_He said he would not have us married; that he would not stand for it._ Loki scowled. _I bet you all the gold in the universe that if Thor was the one asking for your hand in marriage there would be endless fanfare. Anything I have ever truly wanted for myself, or have ever achieved has been eclipsed by whatever Thor has wanted or achieved. Well, this is one thing Thor will not have over me. This is something my father will not deny me. _Then he added, correcting himself, _us_.

_I do not want you to take me as your wife to spite your father and brother for how they have slighted you or me. I want you to take me as your wife because you love me and I am the only one who will ever own your heart._

_I assure you, I marry you strictly for those reasons. You make me feel like the greatest man to ever exist, _he insisted. _Without you in my life, I don't think I will manage well._

Sigyn smirked. _Very well…_

_Is that a yes? Will you let me marry us?_

_I think the answer is rather obvious_, she thought and raised an eyebrow.

Loki smiled and used the dagger to cut into the palm of his hand, creating a shallow wound that left a thin trail of blood in its wake. He then passed the dagger to Sigyn for her to do the same. When she gave herself the same wound, she handed the dagger back and he set it down on the altar.

_Give me your hand._

She gave him her cut hand and he clasped it against his, their blood intermingling_. Your blood is my blood, my blood is your blood_, he began. _From this moment on, it is our blood_. He pulled their clasped hands over the golden bowl on the altar and squeezed harder, letting their mutual blood drip down into the shallow basin. With his free hand, Loki conjured a bottle of wine. He uncorked it with his teeth and spit the cork to the ground somewhere before pouring a good amount of wine into the bowl, diluting the drops of blood almost completely. He released their hands and lifted the bowl up between them. _This wine with our blood, symbolizes our life and our strength, and drinking from this bowl symbolizes the sharing of our lives together until the end of time_. Loki brought the bowl to his lips and swallowed a good amount down.

When Sigyn was handed the bowl, she was careful not to spill it. She brought it to her lips, staring at him over the rim, and then drank from it. She was ready to do whatever needed to be done to become his wife, even if only in their eyes only. When she had drunk a few gulps, she took it upon herself to set the bowl back down onto the altar.

She watched as he grabbed the one object she hadn't been sure about. It was a long strand of red string that he untwisted before proceeding to tie one end around his little finger.

_This string symbolizes the string of fate; an invisible red thread that connects those who are destined to be together, regardless of time, place, or circumstance_. Loki knotted the string around his finger and then began to do the same to her little finger. _The thread may stretch or tangle…but it will never break_.

Sigyn smiled as he knotted the string around her finger. She looked down at it and then up at him. With their fingers connected with the red string, she took it upon herself to take his hands in hers.

_I, Loki Odinson, prince of Asgard, take you as my wife_, he announced telepathically. _You will be mine, forever and for always, beyond this life and the next, and until time itself ceases to be._

_I, Sigyn, daughter of Ve Borson_, she said, referring to her father by his given name, _take you as my husband._ _You will be mine, forever and for always, beyond this life and the next, and until time itself ceases to be._

"I love you," Loki spoke aloud.

Sigyn figured she would do the same, repeating, "And I love you."

Leaning forward, Loki kissed her upon the lips.

"You are now my wife," he whispered. "I am your husband. No matter what happens, we will never be parted, not truly."

Sigyn returned the kiss and he led her to the makeshift bed. "Ah, the marital bed, I take it?"

He let out a laugh. "Yes. I figured what better way to make it more official."

"I'm pretty sure we already did that a week ago."

Loki narrowed his eyes at her. "You know what I mean."

As he lowered them down to the makeshift bed, he laid her gently to the ground before sliding the strings off their fingers.

"Shouldn't that say on?" she asked, looking at the string and then up at him.

"How do you propose we get our clothes off then?"

"Good point," she remarked as the wreath atop her head fell off as she laid her head upon the pillows.

"The string is only symbolic. Not literal."

Letting the string fall to the ground he went about disrobing them both and, before either knew it, he was inside her. They had their limbs tightly wrapped around each other, grinding and rocking in time to the beat of their hearts. When they were finally spent, he rolled off her and she curled into his side; the arm he had underneath her, pulling their naked bodies, slick with a sheen of perspiration, closer together.

"I am going to find my father," she spoke after some time of the two of them just lying like that; her index finger drawing circles on his chest.

"I know."

"I'm leaving tomorrow and I don't know how long it will take, or when I will be back."

"I know," he repeated.

"You do?" She lifted her head slightly to look at his profile and he turned to look back at her.

"Yes, because I would do the same in your position." He placed a kiss on her lips. "As long as you return to me, that's all that matters."

"I'd ask you to come with me, but we don't need Odin unleashing the hounds upon us both," she tried to jest, but it fell flat.

"If Heimdall won't open the Bifrost for you, then I'll do what I can to find another way out of Asgard." He let out a sigh, encircling his opposite arm across her chest to pull her on top of him. She sat up, her legs on either side of his waist, and placed her hands on his shoulders. Loki reached his arms up to push her long, dark locks, that had slipped free from her leather ribbon, out of her face as he stared up at her. "I will wait for your return."

"What if something happens? What if I get lost? What then?"

"Then I will find you. I will always find you." He grabbed at the red string that lay discarded beside and gestured to it. "We are fated to be together forever, no matter what happens, remember?"

Sigyn smiled and leaned down, pressing her bare chest against his, kissing him hungrily against the lips. "How could I forget?" she quipped. "Tomorrow I leave, but tonight I am here in your arms."

"Right where you belong," he whispered into her mouth.


	13. Such Sweet Sorrow

It was barely a full day since becoming man and wife and Sigyn was preparing to leave. She was pacing around her chamber, grabbing a few items of clothing from her armoire, some toiletries, her brush, the ring her father had given her a few centuries prior when she was just a young girl, and her journal. She had her hair pushed behind her ears to keep it from falling into her face when she leaned forward; shoving the belongings into a deep, leather satchel she was going to take with her. Behind her, at the chair to her dressing table, sat Loki; slightly hunched forward with his hands folded between his knees as he watched her move about like a worker bee. They both had so many different things on their mind; their private wedding the night before, the marathon of love making that had followed, her leaving shortly, worrying about something bad happening, anxiety, hope, anticipation, doubt.

Loki let his eyes travel over to the mantle over the fireplace where there was a wooden sculpture of a horse he remembered her father carving for her so very long ago. He remembered it because he had been there when the trinket had been completed. It was such a crisp memory, too. Loki and Sigyn were barely out of toddlerhood and Lodur had brought Loki with him and Sigyn out for a walk, as he did plenty of times in those days. More often than not, Odin was busy bonding more with Thor, taking him on small hunting trips that were acceptable for a young child to partake in, which usually left Loki behind with the excuse that he was still too young to join his father and brother. Loki wasn't able to understand that and only saw it as he was being excluded. He remembered crying and wrapping his little arms around his mother's legs; because back then, he wasn't tall enough to reach her waist.

For whatever reason, one particular occasion when Odin had taken Thor out with him, Lodur had been at the palace and seen Loki's distraught reaction. He got down on bended knee, a little Sigyn at his side, holding his hand, and ushered a sniveling Loki over to him. Hesitant and trying to be a big boy by wiping his tears quickly away, Loki walked over to his uncle, who placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him, inviting him to join him and Sigyn for a walk; that maybe they would find an "adventure" of their own. Taking both his daughter and his nephew's hands, they left the palace and eventually made it to the lake where Sigyn and Loki would eventually share many a moment, together and with the others their age. There used to be a hollowed log near the water's edge then and Lodur had the two children sit down and stay put before returning moments later with two pieces of driftwood in one hand and a knife in the other.

Lodur sat down between the pair and began to carve into the first piece of driftwood, telling a story about a tree that started out small and frail, was teased by the older trees, but soon grew into a tall tree that was strong with deep roots, that provided shade and fruit and that had leaves that shined like green satin. Loki didn't understand the meaning of the story then; just that his uncle Lodur had a soothing quality to how he spoke. He could've been going on and on about bugs circling horse droppings and it would've sounded enthralling. Loki and Sigyn just stared at Lodur, content to watch him as he spoke and carved away. When he was finished, a wooden horse was the result. He handed it to Sigyn, who beamed up at her father. Loki felt a pang of jealousy and pouted up at his uncle, who smirked at the young boy, insisting he hadn't forgotten him, then asking what he would like carved.

Loki leaned forward to look around his uncle at Sigyn, admiring her wooden horse, and then looked up at his uncle. "I want a horse, too. I want to be the same," little Loki had said.

Lodur had looked at his nephew, placed a hand behind the boy's neck and smiled. "Sometimes being different isn't a terrible thing," he had replied, as if he knew something important but wasn't going to reveal it anytime soon. "But if you want to be the same, the same you will have." And he went about carving another horse.

Loki remembered loving that little, wooden horse. Though, as the years passed on, he eventually set it aside and now, as he watched Sigyn busy herself with packing, he wondered whatever happened to his little horse.

"You're awfully quiet," Sigyn commented, breaking Loki out of his reverie.

He blinked and found her staring at him from over her shoulder. "What? No, I was just thinking of a fond memory."

"Oh? Of what?"

"Your father, actually." Loki stood up and walked over to the mantle, picking up the wooden horse. "Remember when he carved this and one for me as well?"

Sigyn looked to what he was referring to. "Yes," she smirked. "That has sat there for so long, there are probably inches of dust on it."

"Not a speck," he replied. "Your maid keeps your chamber pristine."

"Well, lately it has been a mess, no thanks to us," Sigyn grinned mischievously. She was, of course, referring to several of their love making sessions within the last week, when the bed wasn't the only surface they had utilized.

"Yes, well…" he trailed, not bothering to or needing to finish that sentence. He threw her a grin of his own, though. "I was wondering if I may keep this with me, for safe keeping until you return; something to remind me of you in your absence."

Sigyn stopped all her packing and considered, then smiled softly. "Of course. There is no one I would rather entrust it to."

"Thank you." He held the small object in his hands, remembering it seeming much bigger. Then again, he had been much smaller when his and her wooden horses had been carved. Placing it into the pocket of his leather waistcoat, he stepped up behind Sigyn who had returned her focus to her satchel, which she was now closing. Casually, he wrapped his arms around her torso and clasped his hands in front of her while resting his chin down on her shoulder. "Is there nothing I can do to persuade you to stay?"

Sigyn leaned her head back slightly, smiling at the feel of him encircling her; leaving absolutely no room between her back and his chest at all. "Oh, I am sure there is plenty you could do," she assured. "But this is something I need to do; consequences be damned."

"I know, I just…now that you are my wife, I don't want you to leave my sight even for a second."

Swiveling around in his embrace so that she could face him, Sigyn placed her hands on his chest and slowly moved them upwards to the sides of his face. "You have given me a reason to come home sooner than I was initially planning, if it makes you feel any better. I mean, I do not know how long it will take me to find my father, but when I do, I won't stay with him as long as I originally intended. Maybe only a few weeks." She stood on tiptoe to kiss the tip of his nose, and then settled on his lips. "I just want to see him for a little while; so he can know me as I am now and vice versa, and so that so we can have a proper goodbye." She kissed him again. "You are my life now and wherever you are is where I will want to be. My father is my past and I need to put it to rest so I can focus on our future."

Her assurances didn't completely convince him; a part of him still had this ball of nerves festering in the pit of his stomach, feeling as if something terrible might happen. He worried about if it did, would he be able to be there for her? Could he be at her side in a moment's notice, taking her into his arms and telling her all would be fine? Loki simply wanted to give her a wonderful life, and he was certain he could provide her with one, as long as they were together, despite the hurdle they would have to get over where his father's stubbornness was concerned. As a prince of Asgard, he had to right and the ability to marry any couple in the entire realm, because he was of official standing. That meant marrying himself to Sigyn was, in fact, legal and binding in the eyes of the kingdom. Loki knew Odin's ravens and Heimdall were most likely spying and even though they wouldn't have heard the ceremony because of it being spoken telepathically, they could see it being performed. All this considered however, being married or not, if Sigyn was not in the realm, she was beyond his protection and he greatly feared that.

"I think I am all set," she announced, lifting her satchel and placing the strap on her shoulder. She grabbed up a green cloak in one arm, letting it drape, and then looked at him. "Are you ready?"

He cast his eyes toward her and feigned a smile. "Of course." He offered her his hand. "Shall we leave by way of your balcony?"

Sigyn smirked. "No, we will leave out the front door."

"And what of your mother?"

"Let her watch me as I go." She held out her free hand to him, which he took, and she took the lead as they removed themselves from her bed chamber.

They walked side by side, hand in hand, down the hallway; the heels of their respective shoes echoing off the marble floor. When they rounded the corner and made their way down to the grand staircase, Sigyn's youngest sister Hnoss appeared at the balustrade overlooking the entrance hall. Sigyn and Loki both noticed the girl out the corner of their eyes but made no gesture to otherwise acknowledge her presence. They walked casually and with purpose down the grand staircase and as they reached the front doors, Freya finally appeared, simply by chance.

"Where are you off to, dressed like that? Are going somewhere?" she inquired, ignoring the fact that her daughter and the dark haired prince were holding hands.

"I'm going away for a while, mother," was Sigyn's response as the doorman opened the door for Loki and her. Without another word or waiting for a response from her mother, the pair walked outside into the waning evening air.

They had decided to travel by way of Loki's horse alone, as he would be the only one returning from the Bifrost and that way he wouldn't have to bring two horses back with him. He got up first onto his horse and then held his hand out for her, which she took to pull herself up behind him. She gripped her legs against the animal and wrapped one arm around Loki's waist while the other gripped her cloak and satchel between their bodies as she leaned against his back. And, at once, they were off. Loki led the horse through a few side streets toward the palace, and then bypassed that to get onto the rainbow bridge leading from the City of Asgard and out of its gates which were opened by guards for them as they approached. As the gates closed behind them, Sigyn stole a look over her shoulder, taking in the sight of her home realm for the last time in however long it would take her to find her father, visit with him shortly, and return. When she turned her head back around, she pressed her face into Loki's shoulder blade, inhaling his scent and closing her eyes momentarily. As soon as she reopened them, she found herself staring over Loki's shoulder at the Observatory where Heimdall was standing with his sword firmly placed in front of him, standing still and stoic. Beyond that, was the abyss of space; the edge of Asgard that drifted off toward the billions of stars, nebulas, and galaxies and, more importantly, the other eight realms belonging to Yggdrasil.

As they came upon Heimdall, guarding the Bifrost, Loki brought his horse to slower pace before stopping altogether. Just like how he helped Sigyn up, he helped her down, before getting down himself. Taking her hand in his once more, the two of them approached Heimdall with purpose.

"Good Heimdall—" Loki began.

"You better return, young lady," Heimdall interrupted, casting his all-seeing gaze at Sigyn.

She knew he knew their purpose for being there. He saw all, as was his job. "You know I cannot. I have good reason to be here."

"It goes against the express wishes of the All-father. You wish to disobey him?"

"I wish to see my father, plain and simple."

"It is forbidden."

"Fraternizing with my father is forbidden, leaving is not." Sigyn sidled up to Heimdall, casually throwing her cloak around her shoulders. "Perhaps I will write him a letter and find a mortal messenger to give it to him when I figure out his whereabouts." She peered up into Heimdall's golden eyes while placing a hand on the dark skin of his bicep, staring imploringly at him. "Heimdall, you knew my father once. Whatever his slight was against the All-father, he was a good man, was he not?"

"He was," Heimdall agreed, with nary a change in his impassive expression.

"Is it fair that he is alive, so far from all those he ever knew and loved, never able to see his only child grow up? Is it fair that I have had to live these great, many years without my father? It would be different if he were dead, then I could accept the loss, but he is living; therefore I am owed the chance to have him in my life, even if only for a day."

Sigyn could see Heimdall's resolve weakening, if only in his eyes. Loki took the opportunity to join in on his wife's behalf. "I will take all responsibility for her leaving. Whatever punishment would be placed upon her when she returns, I will accept as my own. We are as one now; she is my wife, Heimdall. Surely, my father would take leniency on his own son and niece, prince and princess of Asgard."

Heimdall turned his head to Loki then. "So you are indeed wed," he remarked. There seemed to be a bemused pull at the corners of his lips; hinting to a ghost of a smile. "I could not hear what was being exchanged between the two of you last night, but I saw what transpired."

Sigyn looked to Loki, then back to Heimdall. "Were you watching the entire time, Heimdall?"

"When your wedding ceremony progressed to something else, I removed my sight and focused on other things. I was not a voyeur on your wedding night, or during any of your other…_escapades_."

Loki simply smirked. "Good to know you have your boundaries."

Sigyn still had her hand on Heimdall. "Please, Heimdall. Please let me through the Bifrost. Even though Loki insists on being punished in my place, I do not wish him to. I gladly accept whatever punishment will be handed down. It will be worth it to see my father again, just once. After all, how harsh could the punishment be? I am his niece and now his daughter by marriage, a princess of the realm."

"He banished your father, his own brother and crown prince of Asgard, for attempting to usurp the throne," Heimdall commented, dryly.

"Yes, but I have no plans to usurp any throne, just to see the usurper; to show him the woman I have become and see with my own eyes that he is well. At least, well _enough_."

"You are certain of this decision?" Heimdall inquired. "You accept whatever punishment you face upon you leaving this realm?"

"Yes," Sigyn answered, her voice unwavering.

"Very well." Heimdall turned, bringing his five foot sword Hǫfuð with him. The Gatekeeper of Asgard led the way into the Observatory at the end of the Bifrost Bridge; his gait majestic and foreboding at the same time.

Loki reached out and took Sigyn's hand as the two of them followed. They walked around the circular platform that Heimdall had ascended, sword in hand. The wedded couple stood in front of Asgard's gateway to the other realms, looking at each other with anxiety and nervous smiles.

"I will come with you if you ask me to," Loki offered, adjusting her cloak around her shoulders for her. He stared her in the eye as he tied it on so it would not fall off as she traveled through the Bifrost.

Sigyn smiled at the gesture; both the verbal and the physical. "I could not have you do that, as much as I want you with me at all times."

"But we are one now," he reminded with an impish grin. "Where you go, I go; vice versa."

"Exactly. If we are truly one, you will be with me." She placed a hand over her heart. "In here."

"We could find your father together," he continued, this time a bit more serious.

"In probably half the time it would take me on my own, I've no doubt, but I need to do this alone, and you need to hold the fort here; keep the home fires burning till I return."

"I will count the seconds." His gaze wandered to her lips as he raised his hands to the sides of her face. Brushing his right thumb over her bottom lip, he paid no mind to Heimdall standing mere feet away, facing their direction. Loki leaned in to kiss his wife, hungrily and full of love that was ready to burst out of his chest at any moment. He loved her so much that he wanted to climb the tallest mountain peak in all of Asgard to exclaim it for all to hear.

Sighing against his lips and into the cavern of his mouth, Sigyn practically melted into him as she embraced him. She ran her arms up his back gripping the leather material covering his shoulders as she pressed her face against his chest. Inhaling his scent, she wanted to keep it as fresh in her mind as possible for she knew not just how long her journey into Midgard would take her before she returned to these loving arms once more.

"I hope my time away from you will only feel like seconds," Sigyn murmured against his chest. She raised her chin and looked up at him. _Kiss me again_, she thought to him.

Loki smirked and obliged, claiming her lips with his once more while letting his tongue slip inside her mouth for a moment; their saliva mingling with one another. _If you do not leave now I will not be able to stop myself from throwing you to the ground and having my way with you right here in front of poor Heimdall._

Sigyn let out a snort of laughter and immediately covered her mouth with her hand. She shot a look over to Heimdall who looked serious as usual. _Even if he turned his backs to us, he could still see_, she laughed in her mind.

_What a show we would give him_. Loki snickered and held her tightly with one arm around her back. He kissed the top of her head and then turned to look at the Bifrost opening to his right; her left.

"If you are still planning to leave, this is your only window of opportunity. I will make one last attempt to sway you away from your decision," Heimdall spoke, cutting into their mental conversation which was nothing more than looks between the couple and otherwise silence to the Gatekeeper.

"I am not swayed," Sigyn assured. "My decision remains the same."

"As you wish, Lady Sigyn," Heimdall responded, lifting up Hǫfuð by its handle and aiming the point of the blade down. "Step aside, Loki, unless you plan to leave with your wife, after all."

Loki hesitated, but Sigyn placed her hand upon his chest. They didn't need to communicate with words or thoughts. Her eyes said enough to let him know it was all okay, that she loved him, and to step aside. Walking backward a few feet, Loki never took his eyes off her, and all the while his heart beat began to race. He was nervous for her. She had never gone through the Bifrost alone before. Sigyn's only other time through it had been when she left for shield maiden training and when she returned, and both of those times she had been with the other girls her age that she had trained alongside. She was going off to a realm she had never been to before, and with no one she would know, to search high and low for the father she hadn't seen in so very long. He probably looked quite different; he would've aged quite a bit more since the last time she saw him and Loki could only hope Lodur hadn't changed too much so it was easier for Sigyn to find him. Mostly Loki worried for her safety. He knew no man or woman on Midgard would be any match for her, but she was not immune to injury or death. It would just take about ten times the amount to injure or kill her than it would a human.

These were the fears running circles in Loki's mind. He just prayed for her to have a successful mission, if it could be called that, and a swift return.

"Say your goodbyes," Heimdall spoke, his voice booming off the walls of the Observatory.

"No," Loki shook his head, glancing momentarily at Heimdall. "No goodbyes." He looked back to Sigyn, his love. "Farewell, my wife. I will see you soon."

Sigyn turned her body to face the opening to the Bifrost, but she was looking back at Loki. "Farewell, my husband." She smiled. "I will try to be as quick as I can."

Heimdall pushed Hǫfuð down into the mechanism that brought the Bifrost to life. The golden spike atop the Observatory began to move down; pointing out toward the cosmos as the walls around the Observatory began to spin faster than any of them inside could blink. The Bifrost gate was no longer a glimpse of space but a swirling maelstrom of colors and lights.

"I love you, Loki!" Sigyn shouted over the roar of the Observatory humming with life as it spun.

"I love y—" he started to reply. He stopped short when Sigyn's body was abruptly pulled into the Bifrost and gone without a moment's notice. The Bifrost, aimed in the direction of Midgard, funneled forward at light speed. Meanwhile, Loki was just left standing there, staring at the Bifrost gate that was slowing down. The walls around him gradually coming to a halt and the spike moved back to its position on top of the Observatory. "I love you, too, Sigyn," he whispered, his eyes growing sad as he looked down at the ground. His shoulders even slumped, signaling his despondency from her being away from him, so far away.

As Heimdall unsheathed Hǫfuð from the mechanism and stepped down from the platform, he looked upon the prince whose heart was already aching for his love.

"The All-father requests your presence at once."

Loki turned his watery eyes over to Heimdall; despite the tears stinging, he kept his composure and did his best to swallow back the lump in his throat. "No doubt he saw the Bifrost being activated and wants to berate me for letting Sigyn leave." He attempted to smirk but it fell flat.

As Loki casually made his way around the platform, past Heimdall and out of the Observatory, the Gatekeeper followed; Hǫfuð still in hand.

"For what it's worth, Loki," Heimdall began to speak. "I am sorry."

Loki looked over his shoulder at the large man behind him as he approached his horse. "Sorry for what? For the tongue-lashing I'm about to receive." Loki let out a small chuckle. "Fear not, good Heimdall. It is not the first, nor will it be the last, I am sure."

"That is not what I am sorry about."

Loki narrowed his gaze. "Then what _are_ you sorry about?"

"It is not for me to say at this time," the Gatekeeper vaguely replied. "I would not keep the All-father waiting."

Throwing Heimdall a look that suggested he was useless, in regard to information, Loki pulled himself up onto his horse and grabbed the reins. He looked over Heimdall's head at the Observatory and the cosmos beyond it. Somewhere, worlds away, Sigyn was arrived to Midgard; alone, probably disoriented. Loki sighed and turned his horse around to face the City of Asgard. Before he knew it, his horse was off and galloping along the Bifrost Bridge; headed toward the city gates.

* * *

Loki held his head high as he sauntered into the throne room, knowing the verbal beating would very well knock him down a few pegs. He needed to show his support in his wife's decision to leave, because he truly believed she had the right to do so. Her going to see her father, a criminal in the eyes of the realm, was no different than any family member being allowed to see their criminal loved one behind the bars of their Asgardian prison cell. Sigyn merely had to go a considerable amount further and may not even be successful in her trip.

As he approached, he saw not only his father upon his throne, with his ravens perched overhead, but also his mother and brother Thor were present. Was this a family intervention? Were they, all three of them, brought together to openly mock and chastise the younger prince? Loki built up an air of caution around him, careful how he was about to tread and unsure of the intent of his "audience."

"Father, mother," he nodded, to each, and then looked toward Thor. "Brother."

"Loki, my son," Odin spoke in a tone that suggested grief and empathy. Had someone died? Oh no, could he see what happened to Sigyn? Was she alright?

"Odin, my father," Loki mimicked, trying to keep the situation light by adding some jest into the seriousness. There was no point in beating around the bush, "I assume you know Sigyn has left."

Odin stared downward and simply nodded. It was Frigga who spoke up.

"I am so sorry, my dear," she cooed apologetically.

Loki knitted his brow together, fear lumping in his chest and feeling heavy, light a lead weight. "Why is everyone saying that to me? Why are you all so sorry?" he bit out, eyeing his parents and ignoring the mix of compassion and confusion on Thor's face.

"Loki, Sigyn is gone from this realm, never to return." Both Loki and Thor looked at their father at the same time. It would appear Thor was out of the loop as to the Sigyn and Loki shenanigans. "She has disobeyed my demands and now her punishment stands as such."

"What do you mean?"

"Where did Sigyn go, father?" Thor cut in, looking momentarily to his mother.

Odin ignored Thor's question for the time being to focus on Loki. "She went against me, she has left Asgard to find her father, a known traitor and attempted usurper of this throne. Any contact with him is a traitorous act."

"He is her father," Loki growled, throwing all that caution he had built up to the wind. "He is your brother, your flesh and blood! How can you care so little about their lives, their fates?"

"I care a great deal," Odin replied, keeping his cool.

"You have a funny way of showing it, father. How is Sigyn seeing her criminal of a father any different than any other Asgardian citizen being allowed to visit their loved one in their prison cell? Where does your logic lay, father? Where?"

"I might be your father, but I am your king as well; I need not explain my reasons to you."

Loki scoffed. "What did Lodur really do, anyway? I was so young when he was banished; all I know of what happened is from hearsay. Did Ve Borson, crown prince of Asgard and rightful heir to the throne after Thor and I, raise an army to take the kingdom by force? Your brother Vili was already dead some years by that point; were you scared of your place upon the throne not being secure as long as there was another son of Bor living here? Did you trump the charges against your own brother? Is _that_ it? It would make more sense to me. When Vili died, his power was given to you, and with Ve out of the way, you would have all the powers of the sons of Bor, rolled up in one; in you."

"Why do you think such—" Odin was cut off by Loki for once.

"It would make sense if the latter was the case. I do not recall Ve, or Lodur as we all called him, being anything more than a gentle soul. You were like Thor is now. You called to war; you loved the thrill of battle while Lodur preferred the sidelines, didn't he? He was much happier at home; taking walks, reading, and spending time with his…" Loki faltered for a moment in the severity of his claims. "His daughter." Sigyn's face flashed in front of his mind's eye and Loki was able to calm his nerves down. He took a few steadying breaths. Odin didn't bother to speak and Frigga and Thor felt no need to do so either at the moment. "He was the kindest man I ever knew. He loved his daughter and he treated me more like a son than a nephew at times. When you took Thor with you on your fatherly excursions and left me behind, Lodur was the one who stepped up to the plate and took me under his wing, made me feel included. Did you know that, father? Even your brother could tell how evident your favoritism in Thor is."

"I love you and your brother the same, Loki."

Loki let out a contemptuous laugh. "And I am supposed to be the talented liar in the family."

"Darling, your father means well in his actions," Frigga spoke up.

"Not well enough it would seem, mother." He glared at his father, tears beginning to sting harshly at his eyes. "What is to be done to Sigyn? What is her official punishment for going against the ridiculous word of the all mighty Odin?" he lashed.

Odin stood with Gungnir, and while his stance was regal and commanding, his shoulders were slouched and eyes disheartened. There was sadness to him. "For the act of disobeying the expressed command of her king, abandoning her realm to seek out the audience of a known traitor to the kingdom, Sigyn Vesdóttir, is hereby banished from Asgard and to remain on Midgard for the rest of her life, however long it may be."

Loki's mouth fell agape and heart leapt into his throat. "No," was all he could manage to mutter, his head shaking.

"Any and all who in turn seek any form of contact with Sigyn or her father will share the same fate. If you or Thor or any other go to Midgard, for any reason, you may not seek Sigyn or her father out, you may not have any form of communication with them. If you even see them, you must turn away and leave. They are as dead to us now."

"No," Loki muttered again. Clenching his teeth together, he shot daggers at his father through his tear-stained eyes. "No!" he shouted. "You cannot banish Sigyn! I love her! She is my _wife_!"

Frigga and Thor both snapped their attention to Loki. "Brother, is this true?" Thor asked, taking a few steps closer to Loki. "Have you taken our lovely cousin as a bride?" He seemed genuinely happy for his younger brother and was able to overlook the prospect of any taboo over the liaison. "For what it is worth, I offer my congratulations," he spoke in a lower voice for only him and Loki to hear.

Loki glanced up at his brother for a moment, and then grimaced as he looked back toward their father. "How can you banish the wife of your son? Just how much of a bastard can you be?"

"I did not give any blessing for such a union."

"I did not need your blessing, nor did I want it," he hissed; the latter part being a lie, however. He wanted his father's approval and acceptance of his choice of wife. He just never received it. "I have spent enough time in the libraries to have come across the laws and bylaws in regard to marriage in Asgard. As a prince, an official figurehead of the realm of Asgard, I have the right to marry anyone who desires to be wed, if I so choose, so long as they are not siblings. Cousins, in fact, are quite allowed." Loki took a few steps forward, reaching the bottom of the steps up toward the throne where his father stood, staring up at him. "And the best part is the small addendum I found that any officiate, such as myself, can in fact marry themself to anyone of their choosing if their intended will have them. Therefore, my marriage to Sigyn is legal and binding and does not require the blessing of the seated monarch."

"Whether or not your marriage is binding or not, Loki," Odin began, "Sigyn is banished. How do you expect your marriage to remain intact?"

"Because I love her. That is how." Loki had tears streaming down his face, but he kept his head held high despite it, as if he weren't crying at all. "Does one stop loving another when they die? No. Just because you have banished my wife and forbidden me to have any contact with her does not mean I will love her any less. She is my wife and will be my _only_ wife until the day I die, however far off that is. You will not achieve any matrimonial alliances with me if that was one of your plans."

Frigga's heart was visibly aching for her son. She wanted to reach out and hold him to her bosom as she did when he was just a child.

"It was never my intention for you to end up this heartbroken, my son," Odin remarked. "I have only ever wanted the best for you."

"Well, you know what they say about best intentions," Loki quipped. "Sigyn is the best there is, and I cannot have her in my life anymore because of you, so your intentions mean very little to me now." He turned away from his parents and looked to Thor. "Let us leave here, brother. I feel to great need for lots of mead. I trust you know the perfect place for the strongest blend."

"I do, yes, but is drowning your sorrows really the way you want to go?"

"It is the only way I have at the moment."

Loki turned away completely and began to walk off without a word further to his mother or father and without waiting to see if Thor was following, which he was.

"Loki," Odin called after.

The dark-haired prince stopped but didn't look back. He just stood there, waiting for whatever words came spewing forth from the All-father's lips.

"Knowledge of your marriage to Sigyn does not leave this room. The only people who will know of it will be us four and Heimdall, no one else. Am I clear?"

Loki flashed a sneer that went unseen to the others. "Crystal."

Without missing a beat, he removed himself from the throne room; Thor merely steps behind. He did not stop moving even after he went to his horse. Thor did the same, calling for his white steed to be brought to him from the stables. Side by side the brothers Odinson rode through the city streets, with Thor taking the lead in order to show the way to the ale house he found particularly pleasing when he required the highest quality of mead and merriment. It also had the highest quality of serving maids but he doubted that was what Loki required at this time. When they arrived and dismounted, Loki hesitated from entering inside and instead began to walk off to the dirt-laden alley behind the establishment; his shoulders hunched forward and his head bowed. He was kicking at stones and random bits of straw that lined his path. Thor followed suit, curious to know what his brother was about.

"Loki, the entrance was in the front."

"Obviously I do not want to go inside right now, do I?" Meandering up to a crate of something, Loki kicked it, sending it flying a few feet away into nothing more than errant chunks and splinters of wood.

"Brother…" Thor reached out a hand and touched it down upon Loki's shoulder.

"How do I live my life without Sigyn? How do I pretend that her banishment isn't the hardest thing I will ever have to endure and to do it with a straight face? Everyone knows she and I were close, whether they knew the extent of our relationship or not. Everyone knows we were — _are_ — the best of friends at the very least. How do I go on acting like she is nothing more when all I want is to shout from the mountain tops that she is my wife and I love her with every fiber of my being?" As Loki spoke, tears had reappeared and were streaming down his face, finding their way into the corners of his mouth. He spit, unintentionally, as he spoke and the pain was so evident on his face.

"I am very sorry you have to suffer this, brother. I believe you and Sigyn were perfect together; you complimented each other like no one other couple I have ever known. And I hope Sigyn fairs well on Midgard without you. I hope the life she will lead there will not be lonely and that she finds her father."

"It means a lot to me, Thor. It really does." Loki looked up at Thor, wiping away his tears as best he could. "It pleases me to know you supported Sigyn and me together."

"I support anything you do, Loki, so long as it doesn't put the realm or the lives of innocent people in danger."

"Good to know," Loki attempted to jest. He sank down onto a second crate, folding his hands together between his knees, but still remained hunched in his posture.

Thor pulled a barrel over and went to sit down on it, but his weight was too massive for the empty structure that it collapsed under him and he fell back on his ass which brought a laugh to Loki's lips. The younger brother raised a hand to his face to cover his smile and contain his laughter. Despite his mood and the grief of losing any chance to be with Sigyn again, the laughter felt good. He looked down at Thor who smiled as well.

"Well, that was rather surprising," Thor remarked with a laugh of his own.

"Really? You weigh the equivalent of twenty of those barrels, full. What makes you think a discarded, empty one would maintain your girth?"

"Positive thinking?"

Both brothers laughed a bit, but soon it faded and the situation that brought them to the ale house came back to the forefront. A shadow passed over them, and Loki's shoulders felt heavy again. Feeling good as he had with Sigyn would be a long way off. It would be a long road to travel to feel the same way again. But, as Asgardians, time was all they really had. It just depended on how they occupied it.

Thor got to his feet, foregoing any further attempts to sit down. He slapped Loki on the back and gestured to the ale house. "Come; let us drown your woes, brother."

Loki nodded and stood up, letting Thor lead the way. "Sounds like a plan."

* * *

A cloud of dirt and dust billowed up around the man-sized crater in the ground as a woman and two children stood at the edge of it, looking down, waving the dirt out of their faces. It was night, and the only light available came from the full moon and stars overhead in the black sky.

"Mama, what is it?" asked the young boy with shaggy brown hair.

"Is it a fallen star?" asked the young girl with her red hair pulled back in a long braid.

The woman, the children's mother, stood between her son and daughter, holding them close. She had long brown hair and wore a dress that had seen better days, if not years. There was dirt on her face and her lips were chapped. She was still a young woman but she was world weary.

"I do not know, children," she replied.

As the smoke cleared and the cloud of dirt began to dissipate, the figure of person lying amidst the crater became visible. The young mother brought a hand to her mouth.

"Mama! It's a woman!"

"She fell from the sky, mama! Does that mean she is an angel?"

"H-hello?" the mother called out. "Are you okay?"

The woman in the crater moved suddenly, scaring the mother and her children a bit. The woman began to lift her arms and pull herself up as her eyes opened and she took in the sight around her. She rolled onto her side and pulled herself up to her knees and reached out for the satchel that lay beside her. Slowly but surely she stood up, but stumbled a bit. As she turned around and found herself being stared at by another woman and two children, she narrowed her gaze.

"Is this Midgard?" she demanded.

"Is this what?"

"Where am I? Did I make it to Midgard? _Heimdall!_"

"Mama, she's saying strange words. What's a Midgard?" the daughter asked.

"Mary, hush," the mother spoke, pushing her children back as she tried to step down into the shallow crater. "Miss, can I help you at all?"

"Miss? I am a lady of Asgard, the wife of a prince! This place…" her eyes crossed, becoming increasingly disoriented. "Is spinning."

Closing her eyes she dropped to her knees but the mother was quick to catch her, thought she fell back under the unexpected weight of the woman.

"_Unnfff_," the mother groaned. "Mary, James…bring our cart. We're going to carry her home with us. She may be injured."

"But, mama, she is a stranger that fell from the sky," Mary whined.

"She is a woman who is unwell and needs our kindness. Do what I say. Get the cart."

The children ran off to a wooden cart several yards away near the edge of a forest, leaving the mother alone with the unconscious woman. She brushed some hair out of her face and sighed, wondering how a woman not much taller than her and of the same basic body type could weigh so damn much.

"How did you survive such a fall?" the mother asked, more to herself since the unconscious woman was in no position to answer.


	14. A New Life

**A/N: Sorry it has been such a long time since I updated! I blame intense summer heat, one bout of sickness and writer's block. Anyway, the new chapter is here now and inspiration is back! ENJOY! R&R!**

* * *

When Sigyn awoke, she was unsure of just how much time had passed and where exactly she was. She bolted upright without a second thought, finding wool blankets covering her body up to her torso. Her green cloak was missing as was her satchel. Throwing the blanket off of her she jumped up to her feet and knocked over a small bedside table in the process, startling her. She stilled as she heard the sudden shuffling of feet coming from a second room off of the one she was in.

"Who is there? Show yourself."

At once, the young mother she had seen before losing consciousness stepped into the doorway. She held a cloth in one hand and what looked to be a bowl of water in the other. "Oh, you're awake," the mother muttered, nonchalantly. "It is good to see you did not die of any injuries from your fall."

"Where am I? Who are you to keep me here?"

"You are in my home, and my children and I brought you here because we weren't about to leave you in a hole you made when you fell from the sky. And my name is Astrid, Astrid Thornley."

Sigyn gave Astrid a proper once over and then chose to sit back down on the bed. "Where is your home located, Astrid Thornley? This realm is Midgard, correct?"

"You said that before you passed out," Astrid remarked, handing Sigyn the bowl of water so she could put the bedside table back upright, but with more effort it took for Sigyn to knock it over. "I have no idea what you mean by Midgard." Once the table was upright, she took the bowl of water back from Sigyn and set it on the surface of the table.

"Midgard is one of the nine worlds of Yggdrasil, inhabited by and known to humans."

Astrid made a face that suggested she was accepting this explanation even though Sigyn sounded a little on the insane side. "Then, yes, this is Midgard. Though, we humans call this world Earth. There our," she gestured between the two of them, "confusion lies." Astrid dipped the cloth into the bowl of water, gave it a slight wringing before, without warning, bringing it to Sigyn's face to wipe off some dirt.

On instinct, Sigyn pulled back from the gesture, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "What are you doing, Astrid Thornley?"

"Being a good Samaritan," she replied with an amused smile. "And you don't have to call me by my full name. You can call me just Astrid." As Sigyn began to lean into the now wet cloth, allowing Astrid to cleanse her face of any and all dirt and debris she acquired in her literal fall to Mid—_Earth_, she let her walls come down a little. "What is your name again? I didn't really catch it before. Silvia, did you say?"

Sigyn made a face. "No. I am Lady Sigyn of Asgard, daughter of Ve Borsdóttir and wife of Loki Odinson, crown prince of Asgard."

"So, you are a princess, then?"

"Yes, I suppose so. My father was a prince once, before he was banished to this world, and now through my marriage to a prince…yes, that would make me a princess." Sigyn considered this, having not thought much on acquiring such a formal title by marrying Loki. It had never crossed her mind other than being his bride. She had assumed only that they would be married and would start a family together; to be allowed the same benefits of a union as any other couple. But that would have to be on hold for now, until she found her father. "Titles are not important to me. Finding my father is." Sigyn stood up, pushing aside the washcloth and damn near knocking Astrid over from the gesture. "I do not have time for these civilities. I have come here for a reason."

"To look for your father, yes," Astrid nodded, "but you are not from here, clearly. How do you expect to find your way?" She set the cloth into the bowl of water on the bedside table and folded her arms across her chest, watching as Sigyn meandered around the room, as if looking for an escape room, but making no immediate move to leave.

"I was trained as a shield maiden. Part of those years of training included the hunting down of your prey for survival or to hunt down your hidden enemy. I will make do."

"I wager you trained in terrains and places you were familiar with."

Sigyn turned and narrowed her eyes at Astrid. "Well, yes."

"Then I have made my point. You cannot simply wander off with only the clothes on your back and no idea of where your father is, other than hope. You'll need more than that."

"Such as?"

"Friends."

Sigyn scoffed. "I do not need friends, human."

"Everybody needs friends," insisted Astrid. After a long pause, she took a step forward and with a shrug, she added, "You can stay here, if you would like. I don't have an extra bed, but it is just me in mine. You may share my bed. I will be your friend."

"Your casual manner in which you offer friendship and lodging leaves the door open for danger to you and your children." Sigyn tilted her head to one side, considering Astrid's goodness. "I could be a monster for all you know."

"You're right. You could be. But by that logic, so could I. You don't know me either. My children could actually be my slaves. I could be a succubus who lures men and women alike into my home only to devour their flesh and their souls."

Sigyn made the faintest attempt at a smile. "The possibilities of our respective motives are clearly endless." She stepped forward into the doorway of the room, looking out into a room, slightly bigger than the bedroom, with a wooden table and chairs, a hearth, several cooking utensils, and dried meats and herbs hanging from the wooden ceiling beams. She heard the shuffle of extra pairs of feet before she saw who they belonged to.

Poking their heads out of another room near the hearth, Astrid's two children were looking uneasily back at Sigyn; though with an ounce of curiosity. Sigyn jerked forward on purpose, just to give them a bit of a scare for her own amusement; causing them to reel backward into room she figured might be a second bedroom they shared. She placed the palms of her hands on both each side of the doorframe and took a better inspection of the interior of the kitchen which doubled as a scullery, greeting room and general living space. She realized that, aside from the kitchen, the bedroom she was in and the room the children were in, there were no more rooms. Sigyn turned back to look at Astrid with her brow raised, questioningly.

"Where is your washroom?"

"My what?"

"Where do you bathe and relieve yourself?"

Astrid gave a small laugh. "Oh, we have a washtub out in that room. We fill buckets of water from the well outside and heat it over the fire when we want to take baths. There's a latrine outside the house, about eight metres to the right, near an oak tree."

Sigyn made a face of disgust. "How ghastly."

"I'm sorry, princess, but not all of us are fortunate to live in the laps of luxury." Astrid rolled her eyes, grabbed the bowl with cloth and walked forward, going as far as to blatantly push past Sigyn so that she could head into the kitchen. She set the bowl down long enough to wring the cloth out and then opened the door that lead into the house, tossing the dirtied water out onto the grass and gravel beyond the threshold.

"Did you just dare to condescend to me?"

"If you're asking whether or not I called you out for acting like a pompous arse, then yes."

Sigyn and Astrid focused their attentions on one another; eyes unwavering in their sight. That is, until an impish smirk splayed at the corners of the Asgardian's mouth.

"I think I will take you up on your offer of hospitality," Sigyn acquiesced. "I shall use this nominal homestead of yours as my temporary shelter while I begin my search for my father."

"Very well." Astrid closed the house door and set the empty bowl back upon the table. "It is too late for you to start now and you have clearly come a very great distance. You must be hungry and tired." She gestured to a pot hanging over the fire in the hearth. "There is some stew in the pot you can help yourself to." She pushed the unwashed bowl she had just been using across the table in Sigyn's direction. "You can use that. Ladle's in the pot."

"You want me to fend for myself and to use an unclean bowl? Am I not a guest in your home?"

"You have two hands and are very capable of doing for yourself." Astrid wiped her hands on the skirt of her dress. "Now, I am very tired and going to bed. As I mentioned, you may share my bed. When you're ready to sleep, leave the fire burning out here. It heats our _nominal homestead_."

Sigyn watched as Astrid disappeared into the bedroom she had awoken in. The human woman didn't seem insulted at all despite repeating Sigyn's words in a more emphasized manner. If anything, Astrid seemed rather amused.

Taking the bowl in her hands, Sigyn grimaced down at it. She took part of her own dress and tried to dry it up and wipe away any dirt residue. She still wasn't overly pleased. Surely there had to be more than one bowl to use. She set off in searching the confines of the kitchen, turning over every leaf and scouring every nook and cranny. There were three other bowls of typical meal size, but they were even dirtier; having clearly been used to feed from some point, earlier in the evening by the human occupants of the home. Well, there was always the option of eating straight from the pot. So, that's just what Sigyn did, because she couldn't bring herself to eat from the same bowl that had been used in cleaning dirt from her face. She grabbed the ladle and brought a mouthful of stew close to her nose so that she might smell it first. It had a pleasing enough scent so she blew her breath on it to cool it down slightly before casually placing the ladle to her lips and devouring the contents.

It was surprisingly delicious, even though it was lacking in substance. She figured it had been a small animal or two with barely any meat on its bones. The stew was mostly typical garden vegetables to overcompensate in the bare minimum of meat. Well, if Sigyn was going to be using this place as her own home for the time being, she was sure as hell going to make sure there was better food to be consumed. Some things would definitely have to change.

After about ten minutes, the stew was all but gone. Sigyn left the ladle in the pot and stepped around the kitchen to peer at the little details here and there. She even poked her head into the children's room, where the glow from the fire afforded her enough light to make out the figures of the twosome laying side by side in their bed. However, she doubted they were asleep. They were most likely too curious about the strange woman in their home who fell from the sky and was going to be staying with them for an undefined amount of time.

She turned her attention away from them and thought about her father; wondering where in this world he was, and what he was doing that very moment. But her mind quickly wandered to Loki and what he was doing. It would be her first night since their marriage that she would be sleeping without him by her side and she felt a sharp pain in her heart. Not only was it a pang of longing, but a pang of something else. Not fear, but something similar to uncertainty; as if something had happened or was happening but there was no way of knowing just now what it was.

Wrapping her arms around her chest, Sigyn stepped slowly and quietly into Astrid's room. She felt somewhat awkward in sharing a bed with this human woman. They had only just met, but she was feeling tired. The stress of leaving Asgard and Loki behind, the anxiety over finding her father and the physical part of her journey was closing in on her mental state. She needed to rest, indeed.

Sigyn crept up to the side of the bed Astrid wasn't occupying. She could sense the human wasn't asleep either, but was decent enough to pretend she was as not to make Sigyn feel any more awkward. The Asgardian sat down and swiveled her legs up onto the mattress which was lumpy and filled with straw and something else. It was the most uncomfortable bed she had ever laid down upon and was another thing that would have to change if she was going to be staying.

Resting her head on the poor excuse of a pillow, Sigyn turned her back to Astrid and stared at the wall, unable to stop the singular tear from rolling down her cheek when she finally let it sink in how desperately she wished it was Loki lying beside her at that moment, and how much she wanted to be able to kiss him goodnight.

* * *

A loud shattering of glass upon stone echoed off the walls of the Asgardian ale house and the patrons paused only momentarily before erupting in fits of raucous laughter. It had been weeks since crown prince Loki began to frequent the establishment. At first he had been accompanied by his brother, the mighty Thor, and had been rather sad-looking and subdued, but soon his demeanor shifted into something more hostile and angry. Fueled with plenty of ale and the funds to keep it flowing, he bought rounds for everyone present and was able to shift his quiet rage into more of a frolicking good time. None of it was the Loki his family knew and loved. He had always been mischievous in his ways, but those ways were also never fueled by anger and ale. He was mean for sport, which got him into a few brawls in the ale house, but none could ever match him, and not because he was more athletic but because his skills in magic and trickery surpassed many an able-minded Asgardian, never mind a drunken one.

On this particular night, a little over a month after being forever parted from his beautiful Sigyn, Loki sat on the bar, juggling several glass cups, magically, in one hand. He was slightly off his game from the strong brew and one of the glass cups had fallen and shattered. Every voice succumbed to silence, unsure of what the mischievous prince's reaction to the broken glass would be. Fortunately, he found the hilarity in it and when he laughed it off, the others felt their unease disappear and they laughed as well. Loki had allowed the strong ale to influence him into a better mood and briefly take his mind off of life in general or at least temporarily fogging up the details of why he was so angry and depressed as of late. At the peak of his inebriation, he bought rounds of more ale for everyone in the ale house and they cheerily lauded him, raising their pints and seemingly forgetting he was a prince and not one of the everyday Asgardians who worked and lived in the seedy underbelly of the capital city.

Downing a hearty pint of ale, the remnants of the amber liquid glistening on his lips and around his mouth in the candle- and firelight of the establishment, Loki slammed his goblet down on the bar and turned to the closest bar maiden. He grabbed one of her hands and threw and arm around her waist, pulling her into a jaunty danced, matched evenly by the music being played, compliments of the two patrons occupying their lyres and another on a small drum. She blushed profusely, unable to contain her giggles over the fact that the handsome royal was twirling her around like one of those fancy ladies at court.

Just as he spun her away from him, still holding her hand, he noticed the lumbering figure of his brother Thor standing but feet away, looking not at all to be in a gaming mood.

"Well, well, well…my brother Thor, ladies and gentlemen; the beloved favorite son of Asgard, the golden warrior, the wielder of Mjolnir—"

"Loki, you are drunk."

"And you are far more perceptive than I give you credit for," the leaner brother slurred, smiling widely, despite the glee on his lips never reaching his eyes.

"It is time to return home, brother, and put an end to these public displays of intoxication."

Loki made a face of mock astonishment, placing a hand to his chest and trying to muffle a laugh. "Have I been embarrassing the family?" He gave in to a slight chuckle, and then gestured to the patrons, who had gone silent at the interaction between the royal brothers. "These are my friends. I am only having a simple row with them…with a few drinks involved."

"Every night for a month this has been going on. This is a problem now. You will come home with me and we shall discuss this there." Thor only needed to take on step forward to be close enough to take Loki by the arm, but Loki jerked back. "Loki, please. Do not make a scene."

"Make a scene?" Loki repeated, raising his voice. "I'm not the one who came in here and turned this into a scene. There was nothing but drinking, laughing and dancing before then." He narrowed his eyes and leaned back, arms outstretched at his side.

"Just leave here with me now, Loki. Please."

Loki scoffed, and then turned away. He looked at the barkeep and tapped the palm of his hand on the wooden surface of the bar. "Another round of pints for my friends, good man." He then twirled on the balls of his feet and leaned his lower back against the bar, folding his arms across his chest.

Thor stepped closer, into Loki's personal space. "I will take you by force if need be," he informed. "I would rather you came willingly with me."

"Take me by force? Ha," Loki laughed. "I'd very well like to see you try."

They both knew all eyes were on them, and that Loki was playing up the situation on purpose; like an actor playing to his audience. He took a step away from the bar and backed up slightly from Thor, putting an ample amount of space between them. With his right hand, he beckoned for Thor to make a move.

"I do not wish to tussle with you here. Let us leave here in peace, brother, and sober you up," Thor pleaded as subtly as possible, his voice stern but caring. "This is not who you are."

"And, and you know me so well, do you? Better than I know myself?" Loki narrowed his gaze again. "You know nothing about me, what I feel, what I…" he trailed, the ale-infused happiness giving way to the full force of his sadness and anger once more. "You do not know _me_, Thor."

"Loki—"

"Enough of these social niceties," Loki snipped, conjuring a ball of energy in his hands and then looking down at it with a smile toying at his lips.

He was intrigued by this new power he had been able to develop recently. It was what he had spent his time one when not drowning his sorrows or sulking quietly around the palace. It looked like the flames he had been able to conjure for the torches he used with Sigyn in the cavern, only rounder and completely blue in color. There was not flicker of a flame, but wisps of crackling magic swirling around the translucent sphere. When Loki brought his gaze back up to Thor, seeing his older brother grasping white knuckling it out of apprehension, he snickered and, without warning, he threw the energy blasting the blonde Asgardian square in the chest plate. Thor was sent flying backwards into several tables and chairs which all but crumbled under his weight. The patrons scrambled away from the elder son of Odin and stood out of the way, preparing for a battle between the brothers to commence in a moment's notice. Loki stumbled back a little, still quite buzzed from the ale. He turned his attention to his pint waiting for him on the bar and knocked it back in two gulps.

However, while swallowing the second gulp, he was suddenly thrown off his feet as Thor had, during that time, gotten to his feet and barreled at Loki. He tackled Loki, knocking them both threw the front window of the ale house; splinters of wood and shards of glass spraying everywhere, on and around them.

Thor landed on top of Loki, knocking the air of out the younger prince, who simply reacted with a hollow laugh that was laced with sadness rather than humor. It was all a show. Thor realized that then. Loki was putting on the show to keep people at a distance so they would never know how much he was hurting inside, how angry he truly was, and how searing his heartbreak was. Thor also knew Loki would never admit to the extent of his feelings either. Loki would rather be seen as the mischief maker, the trickster; condemning himself to being further regarded as the lesser of Odin's son. All this rather than facing his pain, anger and sadness, talking about it to those who loved him and would have his ear.

Rolling off his brother, both lay on their backs, in the cobbled road as passers-by on foot and on horseback strode by, looking upon them with wonderment and curiosity; continuing on their way or talking amongst themselves in hushed voices.

"Are we done with this bedlam, Loki?"

"It would seem so," came Loki's response; his voice empty of any emotion. He was no longer laughing or smiling. Not even a scowl occupied his face. It was void of anything. He simply blinked skyward, swallowed back a lump in his throat and lifted a hand to brush glass from his hair. The rest fell when he slowly began to sit up.

Thor was on his feet first and offered Loki his hand. "Let us be on our way home, then."

Loki brought his knees up to his chest first and peered sideways up at his brother; contemplating how Thor could so easily push aside any amount of animosity he had just been shown. They had just done quite a number to the ale house and now Thor acted as if it was all water under the bridge.

When he finally took Thor's hand, Loki allowed himself to be helped up to his feet, brushing off the remaining glass shards and wooden splinters. "How do you do that?"

"How do I do what?"

"Brush away that fight as easily as I'm brushing away this debris?"

Thor shrugged. "You are my brother," he answered as if it were the simplest response in the entire universe. "I know you meant no real harm. You are in a bad place right now and are reacting as such. It is my honor as your brother to bear the brunt of these outbursts. It is what brothers do. We roughhouse; we fight and then we laugh it off later."

Loki only stared at Thor in response.

Thor didn't bother to press him for conversation. He looked back at the ale house and took a few steps forward; poking his head inside. "Our apologies for the mess, barkeep," Thor spoke loudly. "You can expect to see compensation for the damages we caused by first light tomorrow." As he turned back to look at Loki, he saw his brother running a hand through his black hair and holding his head up. "I think we may—"

Before Thor could finish his sentence, Loki disappeared without a word, having teleported away.

Energy blast aside, Thor realized in that moment that Loki's powers were definitely growing.

* * *

At that very moment, literally worlds away, Sigyn was sauntering up to the Thornley homestead, holding the reins of a horse and leading it with her. Her cloak flapped behind her in the cold wind, signaling winter in this region of Earth was forthcoming. She had her hair pulled back behind her and looked tired; dark circles under her eyes from who knows how much time spent in travel with lack of sleep.

As she neared the home, young James came bounding out and ran up to her with a big smile. "I knew it was you coming home, Sigyn!" He wrapped his arms around her hips and looked up at her; his chin resting against her abdomen as he did so.

Sigyn stopped walking as soon as he approached her. She placed a hand on top of his head and smiled down at him. "Yes, I am returned."

"Did you find your father?"

"No, not yet. I do not know just how large this world is," she informed. "It will take me some time, but not too long, I hope."

"I hope you find him."

"As do I." She pulled him off of her long enough to step beside the horse and pat a large sack she had strapped to the pack saddle. "I brought back some goods, though. Go tell your mother, will you?"

James nodded but wasn't even five feet away from Sigyn when Astrid stepped out of the home, wiping her hands on the apron she wore around her simple dress. Her daughter Mary followed suit and her eyes were large upon seeing Sigyn, the horse and the goods.

"How did you manage to purchase goods with no form of currency?" Astrid mused, folding her arms across her ample chest.

Sigyn merely smirked. "I have plenty learned talents, taught to me by husband, which assisted in getting me what I wanted."

"You didn't hurt anyone, did you?"

"None that didn't bring it upon themselves."

Astrid made a disapproving face. She gestured to Mary, "Unhook the bag from the saddle and bring it inside for Sigyn. She has had a long journey."

Mary nodded and James joined his sister to help by taking the reins to lead the horse to be led to the small stable. They used to own three other horses but had to sell them off in order to buy other necessities. Now it simply housed their singular horse and a portion had been converted into a makeshift barn where they kept their chickens and their two pigs, Bess and Tom-Tom, whom the children had named.

"Did you find any clues as to where your father might be?" Astrid asked as the children meandered away.

Sigyn shook her head. "Not one." She pressed a hand to her stomach and furrowed her brow.

"Are you feeling alright?"

Shrugging, Sigyn glanced briefly at Astrid and walked toward the house, but not before stopping to suddenly lurch forward and vomit almost the entire contents of her stomach. Astrid was at her side in a heartbeat and placed her hand on the Asgardian; making small, circular rubs.

After a few heaves and spitting of the vomit which remained on her tongue, Sigyn straightened her posture. "It has been going on for a week now. Anything I eat I cannot keep down. Most smells I encountered have offended my senses." She looked at Astrid as she was led inside the home and took a seat at the meager table. The fire from the hearth was warm and welcoming as she closed her eyes and let the heat bathe upon the skin of her arms and face.

"Have you felt sore anywhere?" Astrid inquired.

"Not particularly."

"Just the nausea?"

"Yes."

"How long ago was your last bleeding?"

Sigyn opened her eyes and found that Astrid was sitting across from her at the table. "Why?"

"Because I think I know what ails you?"

"How do you know?" Sigyn narrowed her gaze, turning her body to face the other woman, just as both Mary and James entered the house with the bag of goods Sigyn had returned with.

Astrid gestured to her children with a nod of her head. "Because I have suffered the same ailment twice before."


	15. Born Of Earth

**A/N: Wouldja look at that! I finally updated! Enjoy, chickadees!**

* * *

Winter had arrived in the northern hemisphere of Earth, layering the land in blankets of snow and horribly cold winds that chilled to the bone. This winter would be easier than the previous one, thanks to Sigyn being there and being able to help with the homestead and make sure they would have enough to eat and keep them warm until spring arrived. She had made more trips toward the cities, finding ways to acquire goods, and what those ways were she would not tell Astrid. She had made two more journeys, further each time than the last, in search of her father, and still she found no signs of him. Sigyn wasn't exactly discouraged; she knew it wouldn't be an overnight discovery, but it was annoying nonetheless. And the longer she was away from Loki, the harder it got. She hadn't expected just how painful it would feel to be away from him.

Sure, they had been kept apart before, months to years at a time, but it had been different then. They had been mere children, youths. They hadn't been man and wife, so newly married and looking forward to their future together.

The one shining light in the gloom of separation and disappointment in Sigyn's life was Astrid and her children. They had easily adopted her into their home as a part of their family in the past few months. The children had affectionately begun to refer to her as Aunt Siggy, which Sigyn had nothing to discourage. They all shared stories in their down time, with Sigyn learning of the holiday season that they were in; something called Advent, which was a time of celebrating the coming of the birth of their savior. Sigyn found it interesting, their beliefs, if not a bit trivial. Her kind had been regarded as Gods and Goddesses to the humans for a long time now, so it was curious to learn about these other human ideals and belief systems. Sigyn listened intently to the stories of Astrid told her of her god and his "begotten" son, Jesus; a man who cured the sick, turned water to wine and walked on water.

Sigyn couldn't help but smirk. Curing the sick aside, it all sounded similar to tricks Loki was capable of.

But she appreciated the compassion behind the belief in this Jesus, the love he had for all mankind and died for them all; that he believed in treating your fellow man with respect. It was an honourable type of god she admired. Something she wished her dear uncle, Odin the All-father, would aspire to.

There were other tales, other myths the humans had passed down and around for a long time. Some were the myths of the Greek gods on Mount Olympus, and their Roman counterparts. Astrid even passed along the myth of the Nordic gods, namely Odin, Thor, Sigyn's mother Freya and even Loki himself; all of whom Sigyn knew had visited Earth in the past and clearly left their mark on the humans. Several of the stories Astrid related to her were quite ridiculous; humans having exaggerated their experiences with her Asgardian family, leaving the experiences to be perpetuated into myths and legend.

Sigyn was learning as much on the human way of life as possible if she were to adapt and make her way through it during the time she spent on Earth in search of her father. She was matriculating, if you will.

On a cold winter morning, in early December, Sigyn was sitting outside on a log; what was left of a tree that had fallen several decades before and hadn't been used for firewood. She was surrounded by snow and although it was cold, it didn't bother her as strongly as it did to humanity. Her resistance to it was far greater. The daunting cold merely felt like a slight breeze to her. She was staring out at the valley below the Thornley homestead, blanketed in white. The snow that had fallen heavily the night before had covered up the pathway Sigyn had created by traveling into the nearest town with the family horse.

She had her hands resting on her stomach, feeling slight butterfly movements beneath the fabric of her clothing and her skin under that. It was a strange feeling; that there was another life inside her, growing every day. It had been a little over four months, in the human sense of time, since she had been with Loki, in all ways. The bump was noticeable now and she reveled in it. She would be a more in a four to five more months; pregnancy seeming to last as long for humans as it did for Asgardians. She would become a mother, Loki a father and she was contemplating returning home to Asgard before finding her father, if she didn't find him before she gave birth, but she knew that if she did that, she might not be allowed to leave a second time after the birth. She would have to ride it out, which pained her; not able to have Loki here with her. She quietly hoped that Heimdall could see her changes and would pass it along to Loki so that would be allowed to come to her and be with her during this time.

She was not counting on that, though. She merely hoped. The idea of it would be nice.

As her unborn child fluttered once again, her mind wandered to what she would say to her father when she saw him. She wondered if she would find him before she gave birth. If not, at least her father would meet his first and only grandchild. It would be a bittersweet parting gift; being able to know his daughter was doing well, had a family of her own but would never be able to see Sigyn or the child again. Just knowing they lived on…

"I can't believe you're not cold out here," Astrid commented from the doorway to the thatched house. She was wrapped very tightly in a wool blanket, trying hard not to expose herself to the elements.

Sigyn didn't bother turning around when she replied. "My resistance is much greater than yours. You know this."

"Yes, I do. Still amazes me though. I feel colder just watching you sit there." Astrid looked out toward the shallow valley below, visible through the trees lining the property; the nearest town about three kilometres away. "Why don't you come inside? I've got the stew ready."

Sigyn was getting pretty tired of stew, but she was not about to complain. Astrid didn't have to give her a roof over her head and food to eat. Slowly, she got to her feet, turning and glancing at Astrid with an appreciative smile in her eyes. "Sounds nice," Sigyn lied.

"If you want I can heat up some water to put into the washing tub if you'd like a bath."

"No offense but that bucket you call a tub isn't conducive to proper bathing," Sigyn smirked. "Remind me to get you real tub on my next journey."

As both women entered fully into the home, the door closing the winter air out, Astrid removed the blanket from her shoulders but kept it draped on her arms.

"You shouldn't be making any more journeys in your situation. You should wait until after the baby is born."

"I don't have the luxury of sitting idly by."

"I'm not kicking you out anytime soon. There is no rush for you to find your father, is there?"

Sigyn had grabbed the ladle in the pot hanging over the fire and chuckled slightly as she scooped some stew into a bowl. "Is that attachment I here in your voice, Astrid? Are you growing too fond of me?"

Astrid folded her arms under her bosom and shrugged. "It has been nice to have another adult around. I love my children more than my life, but it gets lonely with my husband gone. I haven't had anyone my age to talk to on a regular basis in a long while."

"I am nowhere near the same age as you, Astrid dear."

"You know what I mean."

Sitting down with her bowl of stew, Sigyn began to eat with the spoon that had been whittled from a piece of wood, most likely by Astrid's deceased husband sometime in the past. James and Mary came out from the second bedroom at the sound of Sigyn at the stew pot, signaling it was time for them to eat as well. Astrid waited until her children had scooped out their helpings before she went to feed herself. James, having taken a strong liking to Sigyn, sat in the chair closest to her. He had begun to look up to her like he would an aunt. She was stronger than his mother, sister and himself combined, and probably even his father were he alive. In that sense, she was sort of like the father figure he was lacking.

"Aunt Siggy?" he spoke, leaning his chin over his bowl and casting a side glance at her.

Sigyn looked at him from the corner of her eye while she ate. "Yes?"

"When you go on your next journey, will you take me with you?"

"James, I don't think that's a good idea," Astrid spoke up.

"But mother…"

"It's actually a very good idea," Sigyn offered her two cents. She caught Astrid's unsure and questioning eye across the table. Setting her spoon down in her bowl, she continued, "He's a growing boy without a father. He's going to need to learn about this world somehow; to venture out into it."

"I know, it's just that it's winter and he's young…"

"Would he be confined to this homestead if his father were alive?" Sigyn asked, not to condescend but to make a point.

"No, I suppose not," Astrid caved. "He would be at his father's side, learning how to grow into a man."

"I trained for years as a shield maiden. I know plenty in the ways of combat; with weapons and without. Plus, I have some tricks my husband taught me. The latter I cannot teach to your son as I do believe magic is innate in Asgardians, not humans. But I can teach your son how to defend himself with a sword, how to fight." Sigyn pushed her bowl to the side and leaned back in her chair, resting her hands in her lap. "I know you, yourself, do not know how to read. I can teach James and Mary, as well. Reading expands the mind and will give your children an upper hand in life. They will be able to do more later on in their years."

"I couldn't ask you to do all this."

"You don't need to ask. I'm offering." Sigyn turned and looked at James who had the same warm brown eyes as his mother and was smiling up at Sigyn at the prospect of all she was planning to teach him that his mother could not. She placed a hand at the back of his head and ran her fingers through some of his hair, affectionately. "I know what it is like to grow up without one's father. It is hard enough to go through childhood and into adulthood with only one parent. Fortunately for your children that they have a mother that truly gives a damn."

"I really don't know what to say." Astrid began to beam. She thanked the stars nightly for sending Sigyn falling to earth, to her and her children. "I do not know what we would've done without you, Sigyn. You have done so much to help us out already in these past four months."

Sigyn shrugged it off. "Do not think anything of it. You took me in when you didn't have to. You have given me a home and warm meals. I owe you just as much as you think you owe me."

"Can I go on a journey, too?" Mary asked, hopeful.

"You need to stay here with me, Mary," Astrid spoke, playing with the ends of her daughter's hair. "A woman's place is in the home."

Sigyn chuckled. "Such is not always the case."

* * *

Winter had seemed cold and never-ending in the eastern Highlands homestead. When the temperatures became warmer and the snow began to finally melt away, Astrid had made the trek to the nearest village along the River Dee to trade some goods; having insisted that Sigyn remain behind with the children in case the journey should bring about labour. Sigyn could not sit idly by however and passed the time assisting the children with caring for the garden; tilling the earth, sowing the seeds. The snow was gone by this point but the spring rain was abundant which meant the crops would easily grow. She didn't move as quickly as she had, but Sigyn managed to do a great deal. It helped take her mind off a great many things and it made her feel useful and needed. While she knew she would eventually move on from this place, for the time being it was home.

She had only brought the dress she had been wearing and one extra in the satchel she arrived to Earth with, in the way of clothes, and neither were suitable for her expanding stomach. Astrid had since given Sigyn one of her simple dresses she had worn while pregnant with her Mary and James. Sigyn had planned on acquiring material to have different dresses made but the finer materials were scarce where they were living. Sigyn had to make do.

On one of the rare, sunny days of spring while Astrid was still away but due to return in a day or so, Sigyn had the children tending to the vegetable garden while she knelt down in the herb garden. Her stomach was protruding considerably which made it harder to lean forward and work, especially when she was kneeling, because it meant trying to get back up again which was a chore in and of itself.

Mary had gone off into the small stable to feed the animals, leaving James alone amongst the vegetables. Being a child of no more than seven years of age, he grew bored of his own chores and came over to Sigyn; crouching down beside her and watching her work.

"Did you do stuff like this where you come from?"

"In Asgard?" Sigyn smiled with a small laugh that followed. "My family had people who did this for us."

"Because you were a princess?"

Sigyn kept smiling. "Technically, yes. My father was a prince, once. His brother is the king of all Asgard."

"Odin, right? You call him the All-father."

"It is one of his official titles." Sigyn stopped working and leaned back on her knees, placing her dirt-covered hands in her lap. "I married his son, also a prince and second in line to the throne of Asgard."

"Loki," James nodded. He had been listening diligently to her stories of the world she had come from and the people in her life there for the past eight months, gobbling it all up. "And his brother is Thor." Off Sigyn's nod, he added, "My mother told me that the stories of the Vikings from the Nordic lands are that they believe Odin is king of their gods and Thor is a god of thunder and lightning. Are they really gods?"

"Not really, no. God_like_, maybe."

"What's the difference?"

"Gods cannot die. We Asgardians can; though, our lives are exceptionally longer than humans like you, your mother and sister. We can live for hundreds and thousands of your years. We also age differently. Our early years pass probably in about double the time it will take you to reach adulthood and then our aging slows even further till a human like you might think we've stopped altogether, hence the belief we are gods and immortal. But we do eventually grow old. Many a century from now my hair will grow white, my skin will wrinkle and I, too, will die."

James pouted. "I do not want you to die, Auntie Sigyn."

"Dear James," she smirked, touching her hand to the back of his head. "You do not need to worry. You will never see me die." _Because I will outlive you by a millennium or more_, she thought ruefully to herself. Sigyn ran a hand through his tousled brown hair and looked skyward as she listened carefully to the birds chirping in the trees and the slight crunch of grass underneath Mary's feet as she left the stable to join her 'auntie' and brother.

"What are you talking about?" Mary wondered. Her red hair glistened in the sunlight and for a moment, as Sigyn looked at her, she felt the pang of her pending motherhood, not to mention the somersault caused by her child in the womb.

"Stories about Asgard," James spoke up. "About living forever!"

Sigyn chuckled. "Not quite forever."

Mary made a face. "I wouldn't want to live forever," she commented nonchalantly. "Life would get boring." Then more sadly, she added, "Especially this kind of life."

"What is wrong with this kind of life?"

"It's hard."

"But that's what life is, darling. If it was easy it would be the afterlife where everything is supposed to be perfect." Sigyn leaned over and reached for Mary's hand, giving it a slight squeeze. Not too hard, because her Asgardian strength could've hurt her if she squeezed her 'real' slight squeeze. "I believe I heard your mother say that life's obstacles are what make us stronger and life more interesting. When we overcome the hardships, we see wonderful things happen."

"My father said those things, as well," Mary commented, her eyes glazing with the memory of the father she'd lost; something Sigyn could more or less relate to.

"Your father was quite obviously a very smart man."

"He was the best father," the girl smiled. "He told us the best stories and took care of us. But it's been hard since he died."

"Well, I am here to help for as long as I can," Sigyn assured. "I will do what I can make sure your family is well off before I leave the three of you."

* * *

The next morning, Sigyn awoke early the next morning, before the sun rose or the cockerel crowed. She shuffled out of the small bedroom she had been sharing with Astrid for months, to throw a few logs on the fire in the hearth to warm up the bones of the homestead while the children still slept. She disappeared into the bedroom again to wash her face before deciding to go about making some sort of breakfast for her and the children. They had eggs from the chickens in a basket on a shelf and there was leftover stew from the night before still in the pot over the fire. Sigyn would figure something out to make.

While she busied herself, she completely forgot for the first time in months that this wasn't her usual life. It suddenly felt like commonplace, as if she'd been doing this all her life. She knew where everything was. Not that it was hard, though; the entire home was as big as her entire bed chamber in the estate she had grown up in. But it was simple and had everything a person needed to get by, give or take. As she stirred the contents of the pot to get the juices flowing again, she cracked the eggs onto a pan and held it over the flames on the side of the pot to cook the eggs.

That was when the first pain shot through her lower body. She winced, able to stand the normal aches and pains that might cripple a human.

When the eggs seemed cooked enough, she separated them onto three plates for James, Mary and herself. As she set the pan into a wash bucket for cleaning later, she felt another, more sharp, pain. She had to stop what she was doing to gather herself for a second before continuing on to wake the children up so that they could come eat. She had a day planned out for them of some fun and games; something they didn't get to do as often as children their ages should do.

Before she could open their bedroom door, she felt wet at the apex of her legs as if she'd just soiled herself. She howled a moment later and pushed the door open, which woke the children up.

She locked her eyes onto Mary first. "I am having the baby, Mary. I need you to help me."

Like the little trouper she was, Mary jumped out of bed and scurried over to Sigyn's side, linking arms. "What do you want me to do?"

"I need to get into bed to have the baby. You're going to help deliver it."

"I've never done this before," Mary muttered, worried.

"Neither have I."

Sigyn hadn't realized it but James had gotten up and was standing behind Sigyn and his sister. "What can I do?"

"Take a bucket and fill it with water, but be careful. Then get some cloths and bring them into your mother's room to your sister."

"Okay."

As James went about his tasks, Mary helped Sigyn hobble into bed as the pain began to steadily increase. She propped the pillows behind her back and sat up, looking at poor Mary who looked beside herself.

"What happens now?" she questioned, biting her bottom lip.

"We wait until it's time for me to push. When that happens, you'll have to carefully pull the baby out." Though she was still young, Sigyn was sure Astrid had explained some things about childbirth to Mary already. At least she hoped that had transpired. Sigyn wouldn't be much help in coaching the girl along if she was screeching in pain.

Moments later James came into the room and set the bucket of water down on the floor and the cloths beside Mary who had climbed up onto the bed. "Anything else I can do?"

Sigyn shook her head. "No. Both of you have some breakfast. I made some eggs and there's leftover stew in the pot. Make sure you're good and fed because I do not know how long this will take."

Both children nodded and left room to eat. Sigyn listened easily to the sounds of their feet pitter-pattering on the ground, and as she spoke in hushed tones to each other about Sigyn and the baby, as well as hoping their mother would return soon. Sigyn could only lay there and try and breathe to steady herself, and ease the impending birth of her son or daughter as best as she could. And while she thought about what it would be like to hold her child for the first time after it took its first breath, she began to cry a few tears, aching for Loki to be there; knowing he would make it all better.

But he wasn't there. Even with Mary and James, she was still alone in this.

* * *

By early evening, Astrid was walking up the hill toward her home; a large walking stick in her right hand and a sack of goods over her shoulder. The cool spring breeze whipped through her hair as she noticed her son coming toward her, waving frantically at her. Astrid's heart leapt into her throat, fearing the worst had happened by how frenzied her son appeared to be. Without a moment's hesitation, Astrid began to run the rest of the way, as fast her feet could take her at the odd angle the hill sloped upward.

"James, what is wrong?"

Before he responded, James smiled. "Auntie Sigyn had her baby!"

"What?"

"Mary helped her." James grabbed his mother's hand and dragged her inside as soon as they were close enough to each other.

Astrid threw the walking stick to the ground outside and once inside, she tossed the sack onto the table before heading into to her bedroom where she found Mary sidled up beside Sigyn who was coddling a newborn baby, swaddled in the same blanket James and Mary had been swaddled in when they were born.

Sigyn looked up and smiled ruefully at the other woman. "Welcome home."

"I missed it," Astrid breathed. "I am so sorry I wasn't here to help."

"It's quite alright. Both Mary and James did amazingly."

Mary slid down off the bed so that her mother could sit beside Sigyn to peer better at the baby. "Is it a boy or a girl," Astrid inquired, touching her index finger down upon the baby's balled up fist as it slept peacefully in its mother's arms.

"A boy," Sigyn announced proudly. "His name is Narfi; son of Loki, child of Asgard and born of Earth."

"Interesting name," Astrid smirked.

"It's Asgardian."

"Might I hold him? It feels like forever since I held a baby."

Sigyn nodded, passing her son over to Astrid who held him expertly. Little Narfi moved slightly as he adjusted to the new arms he was in but contented again before awaking; opening his lids to reveal lovely green eyes like that of his parents.

"Oh, he is a beautiful boy."

Sigyn couldn't bring herself to respond, instead watching her son and feeling as if her heart had been pulled out of her chest and was now at the mercy of every possible danger life could throw at it. All the emotion she had in her came washing over her like a wave and her tears began to flow like rivers. She wanted so desperately for Loki to be the one holding Narfi beside her, not Astrid. It should be the two of them, basking in the glow of new parenthood. Her sobs began to rack her body and Astrid handed the boy back, which Sigyn readily took, only to wrap her arms around both mother and son.

"I know, Sigyn. It's going to be okay," she whispered into the Asgardian woman's hair, placing a platonic kiss upon her head. "My children and I will help you care for your son, the way you have helped me, and we shall help you find your father, so you can make your amends there and find your way home to the man you love."

Nari never cried as his mother did. Even though he had the same eye color as both parents, it was his father's eyes he had which looked up at his mother.

That only made Sigyn's heart ache harder.


	16. Migratory

**_A/N: Thanks in part to my internet being down over the weekend, I had nothing to distract me from finishing this chapter. Yay! Enjoy._**

* * *

Overlooking the Strait of Dover from the grass hillside atop the white cliffs, Sigyn sat upon her horse, her infant son strapped to her chest with a piece of cloth turned into a sling. He was asleep as she watched the constant and calm ripple effect of the current on the water's surface traveling from southwest to northeast, where the Atlantic waters flowed into the North Sea. Behind her, two other horses stood; one with Astrid and James seated in front of her and the second with Mary with their goods and supplies. They followed Sigyn's gaze out at the water, not one of them ever having seen the view before. They had never even seen so much water before. The sun was shining so brightly they could see clear across to the other side and could glimpse at land; from what they had been informed by the local folk was the town of Calais, the northernmost part of the country of France.

It was almost exactly one year since Narfi had been born and was now the time Sigyn felt best to venture back out to find her father now that she knew her son was old enough to travel with her so she wouldn't have to worry about leaving him temporarily behind with Astrid. She had also grown quite attached to her new pseudo-family, and the thought of leaving them behind broke her heart. After the terrible harvest and a horrible winter at their Scottish Highlands homestead, Astrid was okay in taking her children and leaving it all behind. Part if it was also due to it being a constant reminder of her dead husband who she missed but was never coming back. Her young family needed a fresh start and better options and the only way would be through traveling the lands with Sigyn in search for Sigyn's father.

"We can find passage by boat down there," Astrid spoke, gesturing to the shoreline below the white cliffs of Dover. "It will take us across the waters to France."

Sigyn nodded. She was trying to figure out what direction they would go once their reached the foreign land. She had no problem with language as Asgardians had the gift of speaking and understanding all of Earth's languages. It was just a matter of determining where her father was; any possible sightings, if she could describe his appearance in a way the humans would be able to recall, if they knew anything to begin with.

"Let us be on with it then while daylight is still in our favor."

As they made their way down, Sigyn would casually glance back behind her to make sure the others were getting on well enough. It had been a long journey enough for them already since they had left the homestead weeks earlier, living simply on the road since then. They seemed to be doing alright; the only complaints being that of being cold as they slept, which meant getting more wood for their fires. Food was no problem. Sigyn was a good hunter and easily scrounged up deer or rabbits. Astrid and James would forage for berries or vegetables of some sort while Mary looked after Narfi and kept watch over their horses, supplies and temporary camp.

Only once did they come up against anything truly abysmal; three thieves that had stolen Astrid's horse while Mary was alone with Narfi. Sigyn had returned to camp first to find Mary rattled and gave the Asgardian her account of what had transpired. Sigyn, angered, took off in the direction the thieves went. She ran at top speed, faster than any human could muster and caught up with the ne'er do wells in no time at all. She grabbed the thief sitting atop Astrid's horse by the collar of his shirt and threw him down to the ground before plunging a dagger into his heart.

She had felt no remorse. Even though they didn't, they could've easily attacked and killed Mary and Narfi. While their crime against them was mere theft, the price was the life of one of them. She fought the other two without batting an eye, knocking the second of the three unconscious while the third begged to be spared. Sigyn took umbrage, narrowing her eyes at him. Just because she had killed one and beaten another did not mean she would kill him as well. Then again, the poor bastard had no idea of knowing that. She knelt down to his level where he lay on the ground staring up at her; hands held out in surrender, pleading. Pointing her dagger at his jugular, they both knew all she had to do was make a quick swipe across and he would be dead in under a minute as he bled out. However, she played the mercy card and stood back up, informing him that if she ever saw his or his friend's faces again, she would not hesitate to kill them, and if they so much as looked upon something that didn't belong to them with the intention of taking it, she would be there, dagger in hand.

The third thief accepted her mercy, but left his supposed friend. Clearly, thick as thieves wasn't always true.

Now, Sigyn and the others were looking ahead and were in fact thick as thieves. Over the last twenty months, they had become family and while she remained with them on Earth, Sigyn would protect them and love them like they were of her blood.

* * *

Two weeks later, the weather was even warmer and not just because they were well into the month of May, but because they had traveled south into France and were just outside Lyon, in what was the Kingdom of Arles. Sigyn had heard stories of "an ancient lord who governed some lands in the mountains." Sigyn knew not what mountains in particular or if the stories were anything but. The nearest mountain range to where they were at the moment was what she and Astrid had been informed were the Alps to the east. Not wanting to make a trip through the mountains just yet, they had decided they would continue south first.

By the time they reached a large body of water again, it was another week later and they were coastal port city of Nice. It was time for a much needed rest and with funds Sigyn had acquired along the way by means she was about to divulge, she was able to put them all up at a decent inn with a view of the Mediterranean Sea. They ate fully of fatty meats, cheeses, breads and fruits and drank delicious wines for several days. They bathed and clothed themselves in new linens. For the first time in Astrid and her children's lives, they got a glimpse into how Sigyn had spent all of hers. The luxuries were divine, but they had known nothing but a humble existence.

After a week of recuperating from almost non-stop travel, they made their way again, east toward Genoa and then north toward Milan. Where again they stopped, this time staying on for near a month before preparing for the journey over the Alps.

It became arduous for them as reached the Rheinwaldhorn Mountain and followed along the Nufenen Pass to the east, then north until they reached the Rhine, traveling along it for weeks until they reached a large lake, referred to by locals as Bodensee. While resting, they settled in the town of Bregenz on the eastern short of the lake, at the foot of Pfänder Mountain. They rented out small home and set up some roots until they figured out their next move. They didn't need money because Sigyn always seemed to come upon some.

By this point it was the end of summer; autumn was around the corner and it had been about two years that Sigyn had been on Earth. Narfi wasn't yet walking as most of their time had consisted in traveling by horseback so the boy hadn't had the chance to learn. Mary was growing more into a young lady and would achieve the age of twelve after the new year. Sigyn knew that in a few years' time the girl would reach maturity and Astrid would want her daughter to find a good husband for her daughter, so Sigyn could only hope that she would find her father by then so her surrogate family could settle down somewhere and that the traveling would not go on forever. Sigyn was giving herself a timeframe as it were. Narfi hadn't been in the picture when she'd initially made the choice to come to Earth to find her father and now that he was here, she felt that if she couldn't find her father in the next two more years, by Earth standards, she would deem her quest void and return home to Asgard so her son would know his father. She had consigned herself to accepting she would never see her father again if it didn't happen by then.

At least she could tell herself she tried.

As the weeks rolled along, the five of them grew quite comfortable in their temporary living situation. The home was a step up from the Scotland Highlands homestead Astrid and her children lived in. The children had their own beds, but still shared the same room, which was fine. Astrid got a room to herself once again and her own bed while Sigyn shared a third bedroom with her young son. There was even a separate sitting room from the "cooking room" as Astrid called it. And, as a plus, there was a private, smaller room with a bathing tub. They still had to use a privy outside. Astrid had spent most of her time making the home lovelier than it already was, picking as many wildflowers as she could while they were still in bloom, before the winter frost claimed them. As usual, Sigyn always had the funds to purchase food, clothing materials, home goods and the occasional toy for the kids. And, also as usual, she never told Astrid how she came by the funds.

Sigyn would never tell Astrid she usually scared less than chivalrous human men into handing it over on pain of death after she promptly lifted them off the ground with only one hand around their neck. Or sometimes she went the subtle route by pilfering it by ways of little magic tricks she'd learned from Loki so long ago, which came in handy when they were children stealing desserts from the palace kitchens.

Generally, they all kept to the home as the language barrier for Astrid and her children with the other natives of the area kept communication to a bare minimum, but Sigyn, being Asgardian, was able to understand and utilize verbal and non-verbal communication without any prior knowledge of the language. Despite this, the people of the town were very hospitable when the Yule holiday came, inviting Sigyn, Astrid and the children to the Yule celebrations in the center of town.

Sigyn did the speaking on her and Astrid's behalf, introducing them as sisters, as they considered each other as such anyway. Mary and James had no problem getting along with the other children as having fun was a universal language that didn't require words. The food was plenty, the ale was warm and there were a few men playing instruments and singing to provide music for the festivities. Sigyn felt light and happy, watching Narfi struggling to form his first steps and for the first time in about two years, she felt like she was at home in Asgard. A lot of the merry making was so similar to that she had grown up with.

When the children started to grow weary, Sigyn and Astrid bid their neighbors adieu and headed home, putting the children to bed. Sigyn, not requiring sleep as frequently as Astrid, sat up the entire night, heading outside to sit in the snow and watch the stars in the sky gradually fade from view as the sky went from black to dark purple to lavender to light blue as the sun rose. She thought about home, Asgard, and what Loki was doing at that moment, where he was, if he was looking into the abyss of space from one of the palace balconies from the capital city, thinking of her as well. Certain he was doing just that, even if not at every waking moment, was enough to hold her over until the day she returned to him with their son in tow. She let that idea roll around her head as she got up and headed back inside to prepare breakfast for everyone before they woke and exchanged a few gifts as the yule holiday suggested. Sigyn grabbed the items she needed from the kitchen and began to prepare, letting the smells wafting throughout the home do the job of waking everyone from their slumber.

James was the first one up, sauntering barefoot and sleepy-eyed with his brown hair disheveled. He was an adorable boy and would grow into a handsome man someday. In the meantime, his appetite was starting to grow little by little. It was no surprise to Sigyn he woke to the smell of food before the others.

"Happy Yule, Aunt Sigyn," James croaked as he approached her and hugged her waist.

Sigyn smirked and wrapped one arm around him, "Happy Yule to you, too, darling." She released him and gestured to some plates. "Will you set the table?"

James nodded and went about his task as Astrid appeared in the room next with Narfi, holding his hands as she helped him walk.

"Happy Yule," she greeted with a smile, trying to get Sigyn's attention. When the Asgardian turned, Astrid continued by looking down at the toddler. "Show mama what you just did for Aunt Astrid."

Sigyn was a bit confused but watched with precautious eyes as Astrid let go of Narfi's hands. He stood there for a moment, tilting back slightly as if about to lose his balance and fall before all at once traipsing forward toward his mother as steadily as his stubby legs would take him. Sigyn all but literally dropped what she was doing to crouch down to her son's level and catch him as he collapsed into her arm and buried his happy face into her chest.

"Oh my heavens, you walked!" Sigyn gleefully crowed, wrapping Narfi into a tight embrace. "What a marvelous boy you are!" Kissing the top of her son's head, she glanced over it to Astrid and smiled. "This is a happy Yule indeed. This is the best gift I could receive."

"What happened?" Mary's voice called out as she joined everyone else in the kitchen, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Narfi took his first steps," replied her mother.

Mary pushed her red hair out of her face and beamed just as happily as her mother and Sigyn were. After all, she had been the one to help deliver the boy and looked to him like a little brother. "Very good," she cooed at the toddler.

Narfi looked between everyone fawning over him and yammered away in typical baby gibberish, still not forming words yet. When he looked up at his mother though, even though he couldn't say the words yet, Sigyn could see it in his eyes that he loved her as much as she loved him. Loki was the love of her life; always had been and always would be. But Narfi was the greatest thing to ever happen to her. She was always a girl or a woman, and would be a woman long after she was dead and gone, but she wasn't a mother until Mary placed Narfi into her arms on the day her was born.

* * *

Half a year later, they were all migratory again. Sigyn had heard some chatter about a wealthy man living in the Black Forest region who held some sort of feudal position. He went by the name of Ludwig Borson and was rumored to seem "ageless". Sigyn knew in her heart it must be her father. Who else could it be? She learned this information around Narfi's second birthday, according to earth years, after hiring a young man to confirm some of these rumors. It was decided then that she and the others would move on from Bregenz.

During their travels, Sigyn witnessed something that would place a kernel of doubt about humankind in her mind and shape how she would view them in the future.

It was mid-June when their travels restarted and by the end of the month they were only a day or two from Black Forest. They stopped in some town Sigyn never bothered to get the name off to restock on some food supplies when they noticed a commotion in the town square. Leaving Narfi with Mary while Astrid and James took the money Sigyn had given her to buy what they needed, Sigyn wandered off out of curiosity to see what was going on. She noticed the large scaffold with what seemed to be every townsperson surrounding it; cheering and caterwauling. Pushing easily through the crowd to get close to the front, she finally saw the large man with the black material over his face, holding an axe. There was what looked to be some sort of priest man rambling in Latin, a prayer it seemed. Then, two guards ascended the scaffold with an old man whose hands were bound in chains in front of him. But the man wasn't the only one like that. There appeared to be several other men bound the same way, also guarded, as if awaiting their turn to be led up the wooden stairs.

"What is happening?" Sigyn asked the dirty-faced townswoman beside her in perfect German.

"Beheadings."

"What? Why? What have those men done to deserve such punishment?" How gruesome, Sigyn thought.

The German woman looked at Sigyn as if she were a leper. "Who cares?" then returned to catcalling like everyone else.

"You're cheering on the deaths of men? Unless they themselves have murdered or committed some other heinous crime, I doubt beheading is a just punishment."

The guards brought the old man up to a block of wood beside the executioner and forced to his knees. The poor man was blubbering with tears streaking his face and Sigyn felt a deep sympathy for him. She knew this wasn't right. His face was just as dirty as the woman beside Sigyn, his white hair long and stringy and probably hadn't been washed in weeks. As he was bent over the wood block so that his neck stuck out far enough, his hair fell forward as he looked down at the floor of the wooden platform.

"For the crime of thievery, the following prisoners have been sentenced to death by beheading!" called out some sort of magistrate from a balcony of one of the nearby buildings. "Let this serve as warning to the rest of you not to take that which does not belong to you!"

Sigyn scoffed. "They get death just because they stole something? This is wrong."

"Shut up, lady," a man beside her bit out.

Sigyn glanced at him and reached her hand to the back of his neck and gave an abrupt pinch, causing him to black out and slump unconscious to the ground. She would not be told to be silent by some urchin excited by the unjust deaths of his fellow man.

As the executioner brought the axe high over the head of the old man, Astrid seemed to have found her way through the crowd to find Sigyn. The blade came down with a swift chopping sound, followed by the head of the old man hitting the platform. Astrid closed her eyes tight in reaction, but it had been too late. She had already seen more than she wanted. Sigyn, however, had not removed her eyes for one second. If anything, she felt she had to be the one person in the crowd who was watching whose heart went out to the old thief.

"I got everything we need," Astrid eventually spoke. She tried to avoid looked toward the scaffold as the head was lifted up and the crowd cheered.

"This is barbaric," Sigyn seethed through her teeth.

"Unfortunately it is the way of the world."

"This world needs to change."

Stone-faced, Sigyn watched at the next prisoner was brought up and couldn't even have the dignity of a clean wood block to lean on. He had to rest forward on the same wood block covered in the previous man's blood. Having witnessed what happened to the old man and to know the same was about to be done to him, Sigyn wasn't surprised to see the wet stain of urine on the front of his trousers. He had pissed himself in fear. When the same axe came down, the prisoner wasn't given the same quick death the old man had received. The executioner had missed and lodged the axe in the back of the man's head. The second blow finally did the job. Blood was everywhere and the crowd was still cheering as if this were some sort of sporting festival.

The cries of the third and final prisoner seemed to ring out over the cheering. He had to be no older than twenty; a young thing who still had his whole life ahead of him to lead. He was red-faced and crying out for mercy, pleading his apologies for stealing.

From the distance away Sigyn was standing, she could see he had brown hair and light eyes, perhaps green like hers. And she was fed up with this bloody charade. She wasn't about to let that poor boy die so early and brutally in his life. Even though she hadn't used any magic since leaving Asgard, she still remembered everything Loki had taught her.

Focusing on the executioner, she loosened her right hand which she had balled into a tight fist in anger. As the boy was forced to kneel at the block, Sigyn moved her fingers and suddenly the executioner couldn't lift the axe. It looked like it had suddenly got too heavy for him or as if it were stuck.

Sigyn smirked.

No axe. No beheading.

Next, she focused on the chains around the boy's hands. They popped off and fell to the ground.

Turning to Astrid, she muttered, "Hurry up. Go back to the children and horses and leave this town. I will meet up with you."

"Meet up where?"

"Just go." Sigyn gave Astrid a light shove to show she meant business.

Astrid didn't think twice. She nodded and turned, pushing back out of the crowd and to where the children were with the horses and supplies. Sigyn didn't watch so she didn't see Astrid place Narfi up into the same saddle with Mary, or help James up onto Sigyn's horse before climbing up onto hers. Sigyn didn't see the four of them galloping off. Her eyes were glued to the confusion on the scaffold over why the executioner couldn't lift his axe or why the boy was no longer bound.

When she couldn't hear the hooves of horses as clearly anymore, Sigyn knew Astrid and the children were far enough away. She lifted her arms up at her sides and shoved the people nearest her away and walked forward, creating a sort of barrier around her that seemed to repel anyone as if they'd hit a wall and recoiled. She walked straight up to the scaffold with all eyes beginning to focus on her. Paying no mind to the blood, she reached forward with her right hand and gestured to the boy.

"Come. You aren't dying today, boy."

"Stop her!" called the magistrate from his lofty perch.

Tilting her head to one side, without even bothering to look up at the magistrate, Sigyn raised her left hand and yanked it forward as if pulling a roped. The magistrate made a choking sound and clamored at his throat, trying to swat away an invisible hand that seemed to be choking him.

"Decapitation is by no means a just punishment for theft," she called out, making sure all heard her. "The real criminals here are the ones passing sentence. And they shall get their comeuppance."

With another "tug" of her hand, the magistrate appeared to be pulled closer to the edge of the balcony. Sigyn used her right hand to allow the executioner to finally lift the axe, but forced his movements so that he turned around and aimed it upward toward the magistrate.

"Boy, come here," she called once again. With all eyes off him, he took his chance to crawl over to the edge of the platform where she was and slide down to the ground beside her.

"Thank you, milady."

"Thank me later. We need to get out of here first."

"How?"

"Distraction."

With that, Sigyn forced the executioner to throw the axe at the magistrate. The moment she knew it made contact, the crowed collectively cried out in surprise. Using the art of trickery and illusion, Sigyn caused the dirt under everyone's feet to rise and swirl around in a sort of thick, dust cloud. She pushed the boy under the scaffold's platform and grabbed his hand, running hunched over to the other side. The hood on her cloak fell back off her head in the process and her dark hair began to flap around her face; all the while the townspeople were temporarily blinded by the dirt cloud.

Sigyn spotted a horse tied to a post and hopped up, taking the boy's hand and effortlessly pulling him up behind her before they took off on horseback, going in the opposite direction Astrid and the children had gone. Because of this stunt she pulled, she didn't want to risk townspeople following in the same direction. If there were stragglers, she wanted to lead them away. The boy held tightly to Sigyn's face; quite obviously tense from everything that had just happened. He tried to make conversation while they hurtled through a nearby wooded area south of the town, but Sigyn was too focused on getting away and finding her way back north toward the direction of the Black Forest.

* * *

After several hours had passed, Sigyn had slowed the horse down to a steady trot. Her mind was distracted with catching up to Astrid and the kids that she had honestly forgotten about the boy sitting behind her for a time until he spoke up.

"Milady, where are we headed?"

"To find my sister and children," she answered simply, after a second of remembering he was there.

"Did you lose them?"

"No, I sent them away from that town before I saved you from death." After a moment, Sigyn smirked to herself. "You can thank me now."

"Oh, of course. Thank you, but…how? How did you do that?"

"Sleight of hand."

"Oh," he replied, still unsure about everything.

"Tell me about yourself, boy. What is your name, how old are you, what it was you stole?"

"My name is Wilhelm Bauer. I will be twenty-one in September. It was just my mother and me, she was all I had left in this world, but she died of the sweating sickness during the winter months and I couldn't find any apprenticeships or work. I came to that town three months ago, hungry and looking for work but could find none. I was desperate, so I took some apples from cart. I got caught and they through me in a prison cell," The boy, Wilhelm, explained. He let out a sigh that resonated with exhaustion, relief and amusement. "At least they fed me in there. But then the guards told me the magistrate said I was to die, and that night I cried harder than when I lost my mother. I had promised her I would have a family of my own someday and if I had a daughter, would name her for my mother, so when I was sentenced to death, I thought I was letting my mother down."

"You weren't," Sigyn assured. "I meant what I said in town. Your punishments were not just. I wish I had acted soon enough to save those other two men. The time you spent in that cell should've been punishment enough."

"You are a very kind soul, milady."

Sigyn chuckled. "Kind souls don't force executioners to throw sharp, bloody axes at their magistrate."

Wilhelm shrugged. "I'm not complaining."

"My name is Sigyn, by the way," she finally introduced herself. "When we catch up to my sister, her children and my son, you will continue with us. I'll see that you stay fed, clothed and warm."

"Thank you, milady. I wish there were some way I could repay you for your kindness."

"Well, if you want, if you ever have more than one daughter, you can name the second one after me," she teased.

"Consider it done."

* * *

It wasn't until the next morning that Sigyn finally caught up to Astrid. They had set up camp along an embankment to the Rhine River and were repacking everything up when Sigyn and Wilhelm approached. Sigyn slid down from the horse and ran up to Narfi who toddled quickly over to her, both meeting in a loving embrace. Lifting her son up onto her hip, she hugged Astrid next, making sure everything and everyone was alright.

She introduced them all to Wilhelm next; that he would be their new traveling companion and would stay with them when they reached her father. Sigyn could tell Astrid recognized the boy from being one of the prisoners, but she never asked how exactly he came to be freed, and Sigyn never said how either.

A part of Astrid wasn't sure she wanted to know.


End file.
